Apple plans to expand its potential customer base later this month when the iPhone 4S and iPhone 4 launch on a number of small, regional CDMA wireless networks here in the US. The soft launch expands Apple's original foray into regional carrier partnerships that began last October with C Spire in Southeastern United States.
As noted by MacRumors, at least five regional CDMA carriers across the US have announced plans to offer customers the iPhone 4S and CDMA-compatible iPhone 4 model beginning April 20. Those carriers are nTelos Wireless in Virginia, Alaska Communications and GCI in Alaska, Appalachian Wireless in Kentucky, and Cellcom in Wisconsin. This adds to C Spire's coverage in Mississippi, Alabama, Florida, and Tennessee.
Regional carriers like nTelos and C Spire help Apple expand beyond large cities covered by AT&T, Verizon, and Sprint. National carriers don't always extend coverage to the most rural of customers, leaving those users few choices for compatible smartphones. On top of this, some customers simply prefer to do business with a smaller, local company whenever possible.
By partnering with regional carriers, instead of adding another national carrier like T-mobile or Cricket, Apple can get more bang for its buck by reaching new markets instead of reaching the few customers in urban areas that for whatever reason won't consider AT&T, Verizon, or Sprint.
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