Verizon Wireless on Wednesday confirmed that existing customers will be able to start pre-ordering its version of the iPhone at 3am Eastern time Thursday.
Verizon said it has set aside a limited quantity of iPhone 4's solely for existing customers; general availability starts Feb. 10.
"We appreciate our many customers who told us that iPhone 4 should be on the nation's most reliable network," Dan Mead, chief executive officer for Verizon Wireless, said in a statement. "We heard them and we agreed, which is why we are letting them be among the first to own an iPhone 4 on the Verizon Wireless network. We thought it fitting to say thank you to our customers by giving them the phone they want, a week before the general population."
Apple, meanwhile, said qualified buyers can start ordering the Verizon iPhone 4 on apple.com starting Wednesday, Feb. 9 for delivery or in-store pickup on Feb. 10. Starting at 7am local time on Feb. 10, the Verizon iPhone 4 will be available for purchase at Apple and Verizon stores.
Customers can pre-order a 16GB iPhone 4 for $199.99 or a 32GB device for $299.99 with a two-year contract at verizonwireless.com/iphone.
An unlimited data plan will cost $30 per month, and talk plans start at $39.99 for 450 minutes per month. A $59.99 monthly option includes unlimited text, picture, and video messaging. A 3G mobile hotspot that can power up to five devices is also available for $20 per month for 2GB.
After months of speculation, Verizon finally announced plans to sell the iPhone during a press event last month. Now, the chatter is about how many iPhones Verizon can sell and how it might affect AT&T, which has sold the iPhone exclusively since 2007. For its part, AT&T said during a recent earnings call that going forward, it will be more aggressive in offering Android-based smartphones.
For more, see PCMag's hands on with the Verizon iPhone and the slideshow below.