Interestingly, it's AT&T's Stephenson who touts the device's ability to tap
into other, higher speed networks, such as Wi-Fi hotspots: "I got to tell you, carrying this thing around and experiencing those kinds of speeds on a wireless handset, your imagination begins to run
in terms of what's possible," Stephenson said, adding, "by the way, there's not a 3G network available in Ottumwa, Iowa," meaning: "If you want to sell these devices in a variety of places, Edge is
the only opportunity you have," he said.
And that's precisely Apple and AT&T's gamble-that the iPhone, even at $500-$600 a pop, will appeal to more than just early adopters. Meanwhile, the telecom giant has invested $16 billion into its network over the past two years to meet increased demand from wireless users. "Capacity won't be an issue," Stephenson says.