Swisscom signs up for iPhone

Swisscom signed with Apple to carry the iPhone later this year, an Associated Press report said.

This will make the multimedia gadget available in one more country as Apple prepares a new version with a speedier internet connection, the report added.

Swisscom, which has 5.1 million mobile phone subscribers, posted a note on its web site alerting customers that it will carry the iPhone later this year.

The Berne, Switzerland-based company offered no further details.

Apple has been snapping up contracts with mobile providers around the world in recent weeks ahead of the company's Worldwide Developers Conference in June in San Francisco, where CEO Steve Jobs is widely expected to announce the next generation iPhone.

Among those deals are pacts with providers in Latin America, Canada, Italy and the Asia-Pacific region including agreements covering Australia, India and the Philippines. The iPhone already was being sold through exclusive contracts in the United States, Britain, Germany and France.

Apple is hustling to meet its goal of selling 10 million iPhones by the end of 2008, the report further said.