After spending a few years as an AT&T-exclusive device and then finally making its way onto Verizon, the iPhone has been steadily popping up on additional U.S. carriers over the past year or so. That includes several prepaid and regional operators like C Spire Wireless and Virgin Mobile, and most recently the iOS smartphone finally arrived on T-Mobile's shelves. Now it looks like we'll soon be able to add yet another name to the list of iPhone-equipped carriers.
According to The Cincinnati Enquirer, regional operator Cincinnati Bell will launch the iPhone 5 on Aug. 16. This will be the first iPhone to arrive on Cincinnati Bell's shelves, and because it already stocks Android, BlackBerry and Windows Phone hardware, the arrival of the iPhone means that Cincinnati Bell customers will have all of the major smartphone platforms available to them when selecting a new handset.
Cincinnati Bell has so far only confirmed that it will launch the iPhone 5 later this month. However, MacRumors has gotten hold of some training materials that back up the Aug. 16 launch and also shed light on the carrier's pricing. According to an image shared by the site, Cincinnati Bell will price the iPhone 5 at $299.99 with a two-year contract and mail-in rebate, or $699.99 commitment-free. It's also reportedly planning a special promotion for Aug. 17 and 18 that will knock the iPhone 5's price down to $199.99 with both a two-year contract and a device trade-in.
While the iPhone 5 may not be everyone's cup of smartphone tea, it's good to see the device's availability continue to grow. Cincinnati Bell has been snagging some pretty nice hardware for itself lately, recently adding phones like the HTC One and Sony Xperia ZL to its lineup, and now it looks like CB is continuing that trend with the upcoming launch of the iPhone 5. Stay tuned and I'll update you once Cincinnati Bell makes an official announcement concerning its iPhone 5 release.
