AT&T seeking iPhone exclusivity extension

U.S. carrier AT&T is seeking to extend its iPhone exclusivity deal with Apple through 2011, according to a new report. Citing people familiar with the matter, the Wall Street Journal reports that AT&T’s current iPhone deal expires next year, and that current AT&T CEO Randall Stephenson is now in discussions with Apple to extend it another year. The article goes on to reveal that Stephenson had his technology staff create a custom iPhone application so he can read his internal AT&T financial reports; a stark contrast to his predecessor Ed Whitacre who didn’t even keep a computer on his desk. Stephenson told the WSJ that with or without the iPhone, the company is planning to invest heavily in new infrastructure to handle new, more bandwidth-hungry services and devices. “This business cycle is going to cycle,” Mr. Stephenson said. “You got to make sure that you’re positioned when it cycles back out to be the leader in the industry, and to do that you have to be the leader in mobility, first and foremost.”