The date has arrived.  Existing Verizon Wireless customers are now invited to “pre-order” The Precious.

Strangely, Verizon’s website gave more prominence to the phone before they could actually accept orders for it:

Verizon Website 2/2/2011

Verizon Website 2/3/2011

Verizon wants you to think of its Apple iPhone as a fine wine, offering “exclusive” access to “our reserved quantity, while they last.”

When they’re gone, they’re… will be more on the way.  The Keebler Elves at Apple will certainly make more, plenty more, to sustain pent up demand for the phone on Verizon’s network.

AT&T is doing all it can to keep customers from switching.  In addition to earlier efforts to lock customers into those two-year contracts with early termination fees, lots of AT&T customers are also getting e-mail from the company reminding them AT&T is the only network that lets you talk and surf the web at the same time (with your iPhone).  They ignore T-Mobile, which also accepts unlocked iPhones and works the same way.  AT&T and T-Mobile utilize GSM technology while Verizon (and Sprint… and Cricket… and MetroPCS) use CDMA.  The latter technology, at least in its current implementation, allows users do one or the other, not both.

That probably won’t keep too many disenchanted AT&T customers from leaving, but some other factors might:

1. Apple will release the iPhone 5 in less than six months, if things run according to schedule.  The new phone might work on Verizon’s new LTE network, something iPhone 4 does not.  Is there a hurry to upgrade now when something better is around the corner?
2. AT&T Retention Agents are giving away the store to customers warning of their intention to depart.  Restoration of unlimited data plans, free upgraded phones to qualified customers, free accessories, and even credit for a month of service have all been offered, even as the company publicly announces it is pulling back from some of those giveaways and specials.
3. As potentially millions of AT&T customers leave, those remaining may find improved performance from the lighter load on AT&T’s network.  Plus, the impact of the iPhone on Verizon’s 3G network remains unknown.  AT&T customers could parade themselves into new headaches on Verizon’s network.

Verizon will allow new iPhone customers access to its “unlimited data” add-on plan “for a limited time.”  Verizon plans to join AT&T in officially ending the unlimited option sometime this year, but exact pricing and plan details remain unavailable.

Customers can begin booking their departure from AT&T Feb. 9, when Verizon begins taking orders from new customers and those intending to drop their current carrier.