UPDATE: Vodafone To Sell iPhone In UK, Ireland From 2010

LONDON (Dow Jones)--Vodafone Group PLC (VOD) said Tuesday it will sell Apple Inc.'s (AAPL) iPhone in the U.K. and Ireland from early next year, a day after France Telecom SA's (FTE) Orange secured a similar deal.
Vodafone, the world's largest mobile operator by revenue, will start to sell the iPhone from early 2010, while the device will be available on Orange's network before Chirstmas.
Pricing, tariffs and availability information will be announced locally in the future, Vodafone said in a brief statement. However, Vodafone customers in the U.K. and Ireland can register their interest in the iPhone 3G and iPhone 3GS on its Web site now.
Vodafone already offers the iPhone through 13 of its operating companies.
On Monday, Orange said it had reached an agreement to sell the iPhone in the U.K. later this year, bringing to an end a two year exclusive contract held by rival Telefonica SA's (TEF) O2 mobile network.
O2's exclusive deal with Apple has helped the company to boost sales, customers and average revenue per user, and catapulted the operator ahead of rival Vodafone into first place as the largest mobile network in the U.K. by subscriber numbers.
Vodafone's announcement shows that iPhone exclusivity is rapidly coming to an end, said Evolution Securities analyst Mark James, who expects similar announcements over coming months in Spain and Germany.
"With exclusivity gone, it all boils down to price. We expect pressure on SAC's (subscriber acquisition costs) as the ability to gain market share through 'iConic' products comes to an end," James said.
At 0900 GMT, Vodafone shares were down 3 pence, or 2% at 142 pence, valuing the group at GBP74.45 billion, in a slightly lower London market.