"The original iPhone exclusivity deal that AT&T and Apple forged back in 2007 was for a term of five years, according to court documents Apple filed in 2008 in response to a class action lawsuit in California," ChannelWeb reports. 

The article goes on to say, "No one knows if the original exclusivity deal is still in effect, and it’s definitely possible that Apple, in the meantime, has grown tired of the constant drumbeat of negativity surrounding AT&T’s iPhone service and negotiated a change of terms.

"Meanwhile, Verizon CEO Ivan Seidenberg hasn’t been shy about his desire to add the iPhone to his smartphone roster. At a conference in New York last month, Seidenberg almost sounded like he was actually campaigning for Apple to grant Verizon such an honor."