Verizon and AT&T announce they will carry the Palm Pre once Sprint's exclusivity is over NEW YORK, May 28 (Reuters) - Palm Inc's (PALM.O) iPhone competitor Pre got an unexpected boost on Thursday as No. 1 U.S. mobile service Verizon Wireless said Pre would be part of its upcoming device line-up, sending Palm shares 8.8 percent higher.

Palm is depending heavily on Pre to galvanize its business and regain market share from rivals such as Apple Inc (AAPL.O). Pre is also seen as key to helping stem customer losses at Verizon's smaller rival Sprint Nextel Corp (S.N), which is launching the Pre exclusively on June 6. Verizon, the No. 1 U.S. mobile service, will offer Pre in "six months or so," company Chief Executive Lowell McAdam said during a conference webcast."

PhoneNews is reporting that AT&T's CEO Randall Stephenson spoke to the Wall Street Journal and confirmed that AT&T will carry the Palm Pre once Sprint's 6 month exclusivity ends.

The fact that the #1 and #2 carrier are letting people know that they will carry the Pre says a lot. The Pre hasn't even been released, and already Verizon and AT&T have announced they will carry the Pre. This news shot Palm's stock up but Sprint's down.

Labels: att, palm, palm webos, pre, verizon

  ¶ posted by Jimmie Geddes, Editor @ 5/28/2009 10:53:00 PM