iPhone fever fills AT&T coffers

AT&T drew big profits from the iPhone 3G

AT&T is crediting the iPhone with helping push the company to a strong second quarter.

The US telco posted $30.87bn in revenue this quarter, a 54 per cent improvement over last year. The haul included $10bn from AT&T's wireless operation and $6bn from data services.

The company handed much of the credit to the introduction of the iPhone 3G, for which it has exclusive carrier rights in the US.

Revenues from AT&T's wireless unit climbed 52 per cent, and iPhone 3G sales for the first 12 days of availability were double that of the original handset.

"In the days following our exclusive US launch of this new device, customer response has been everything we had anticipated and more," said chairman and chief executive Randall Stephenson.

"This strengthens our wireless business, and reinforces our positive view of the opportunities ahead for AT&T and the industry."

AT&T hopes that the iPhone 3G will be the first step in a larger push by the company to the forefront of the race for high speed mobile broadband.

"Mobility, broadband connectivity and integrated services that encompass voice, data and video are driving a new world of communications," said Stephenson.

"AT&T is all about deploying and enhancing premier networks and products to deliver this world to both business and consumers."