iPhone no worry to Verizon chief executive

The launch June 29 of iPhone by Apple Inc. won't change Verizon Communications Inc.'s game plan, Chief Executive Ivan Seidenberg said Wednesday.

The wireless industry is bracing itself for the iPhone, and a persistent rumor has been a Verizon Wireless "iPhone-killer," or a direct response to the much-anticipated handset. Seidenberg denied the rumor and said it will wait for the launch to see the market's reaction.

"Steve Jobs is a good guy, AT&T (Apple's exclusive carrier company) is a formidable company," said Seidenberg during a press conference at the NXTcomm telecommunications industry trade show. "But the burden is on them to prove things will change."

Seidenberg said Verizon Wireless, which Verizon jointly owns with England-based Vodafone Group PLC, recently introduced four new phones and plans to have 20 more hit the market by the end of the year; however, he never discussed a specific response to the iPhone.

New York-based Verizon has said in the past its superior service will help it compete against AT&T and the iPhone. The excitement generated by the device presents an opportunistic time for the company.

"If we've done our job like we think we have, we will be a beneficiary," said Seidenberg.

It is similar to what many other handset makers have said. The 500 U.S. dollar to 600 dollar iPhone price tag could pave the way for similarly priced devices such as the Espoo, Finland-based Nokia Corp. N Series phones or higher-end devices from Sony Ericsson.

Verizon Wireless is widely viewed as the most attractive United States wireless asset in the industry. The company has the highest percentage of lucrative and long-term contract customers, and boasts the lowest turnover rate. Seidenberg said that since the government mandated that customers could keep their cell phone numbers regardless of carrier, it has been a net winner against its rivals.

Source:Xinhua/Agencies