Shane Cole
Apple's new flagship iPhone 5s and mid-range iPhone 5c will become available on eight regional wireless carriers in U.S. beginning Oct. 1, including C Spire, Cellcom, and Bluegrass.
The new iPhones, released to record-breaking sales last Friday, may get slightly easier to find as they make their way to regional wireless carriers next month. Apple moved more than nine million iPhone 5s and 5c units in their first weekend of availability, and larger national carriers AT&T, Verizon Wireless, and Sprint quickly sold out of their supply.
Carriers launching Apple's new phones on Oct. 1 include:
- Cellcom - Michigan and Wisconsin
- C Spire Wireless - Mississippi, Tennessee, Florida, Alabama, Georgia
- Nex-Tech Wireless - Kansas and Colorado
- MTA - Alaska
- GCI - Alaska
- Bluegrass Cellular - Kentucky
- Appalachian Wireless - Kentucky and Virginia
- Ntelos - Virginia, West Virginia, Maryland, Ohio, Kentucky, North Carolina
Some of the smaller carriers have chosen to offer the devices at a discount — for instance, consumers can get an on-contract iPhone 5s from Ntelos for $149.99, a $50 discount from the the phone's normal price.
While Apple's regional carrier partners have been publicly announcing their release dates over the last few days, MacRumors was the first to compile a more complete list of carriers set for the Oct. 1 launch.
Malcolm Owen
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7 Comments
[quote name="AppleInsider" url="/t/159756/apple-to-launch-iphone-5s-5c-on-regional-us-carriers-oct-1#post_2405480"]Apple's new flagship iPhone 5s and mid-range iPhone 5c will become available on eight regional wireless carriers in U.S. beginning Oct. 1[/quote] Frick that could be GOOD news! That just might mean they get a new batch from the factories for sale at Apple Stores as well. God, I hope they'll announce additional countries as well!
How is it that they keep supplying stores with new stock when launch day orders haven't even been filled yet?
[quote name="Mike Barriault" url="/t/159756/apple-to-launch-iphone-5s-5c-on-regional-us-carriers-oct-1#post_2405506"]How is it that they keep supplying stores with new stock when launch day orders haven't even been filled yet?[/quote] Haven't you heard? There are nearly 4 million of the new phones sitting on retailers' shelves. /s
[quote name="jragosta" url="/t/159756/apple-to-launch-iphone-5s-5c-on-regional-us-carriers-oct-1#post_2405557"] Haven't you heard? There are nearly 4 million of the new phones sitting on retailers' shelves. /s[/quote] MSM/WS analyst spin: Apple desperate to get rid of iPhone 5S/C inventory. Expands to regional carriers
Hah, now that's funny. GCI is getting them, but their largest competitor, ACS, isn't.