Easy to want, less so to obtain

AT&T is making a number of adjustments and preparations as it preps for the debut of the hotly-anticipated iPhone, reports The Wall Street Journal.

The phones, which will retail for $499 and $599, go on sale June 29th. To prepare for the launch, AT&T has hired 2,000 additional retail employees and substantial extra security to guard against theft.

Both AT&T and Apple have put the phone through a series of real world usage tests to make sure bugs are ironed out before the phones become available. Because of the heightened anticipation around the phone, any speedbumps will become common knowledge relatively quickly.

AT&T recently announced the iPhone will be able to display videos from YouTube. But the data plan that users will have to buy in order to get Internet service on the phone has yet to be priced. It is known, however, that the iPhone is incompatible with AT&T's "fastest" 3G network, meaning default net surfing speeds will be slower than might be expected unless the user finds a Wi-Fi hotspot to connect to.

Per an M:Metrics Inc. study quoted by The Wall Street Journal, only 10 percent of those surveyed said they were willing to spend the money to obtain an iPhone, despite 60 percent expressing interest in the device.

One problem could be an unwillingness or inability to divorce their existing wireless service plans, as 67 percent of those interested hail from non-AT&T carriers.