Long awaited Verizon iPhone goes on sale

It's the day many Verizon Wireless customers have been waiting for: The hugely popular iPhone, previously available only to those with AT&T Wireless service, becomes widely available to Verizon customers as it hits store shelves today.

Though consumers have been able to pre-order the Verizon version of the smart phone online, Thursday is the first time it will be available in stores.

The iPhone 4, which is the newest version of the phone made by Apple, goes on sale at more than 2,000 Verizon Wireless Communications stores and Apple retail stores nationwide, as well as at nearly 600 Walmart and Best Buy stores -- and retailers are bracing for an influx of customers.

"We know people across America have been waiting for the day when they can experience iPhone 4 on the nation's most reliable network," Dan Mead, chief executive officer at Verizon Wireless, said in a statement. "Our store employees nationwide are poised and ready to help customers purchase their iPhone 4s and get them activated as quickly as possible."

Verizon and Apple will sell a 16-gigabyte model of the phone for $199.99 and a 32-gigabyte model for $299.99 for those who enter a two-year contract. In addition to the cost of the phone itself, customers must also buy a service plan as well as a data plan.

There are various options, including a "nationwide talk plan" that starts at $39.99 a month and includes 450 minutes of talk time; and a "nationwide talk and text plan" starting at $59.99 that includes 450 minutes of talk time and unlimited text, picture and video messaging. The required Internet data plan starts at $29.99 per month. Plans that allow users to connect WiFi-enabled devices to the phone have additional costs.