This rumor has been going around for quite some time now. The date, seems to inevitably always get pushed out. Except for this time. Bloomberg sources state:

Verizon Wireless, the largest U.S. mobile-phone company, will start selling Apple Inc.’s iPhone next year, ending AT&T Inc.’s exclusive hold on the smartphone in the U.S., two people familiar with the plans said.

The device will be available to customers in January, according to the people, who declined to be named because the information isn’t public. Natalie Kerris, an Apple spokeswoman, and Jeffrey Nelson, a Verizon Wireless spokesman, declined to comment.

This is great news for iPhone users, and Verizon users alike. They’ll get the joy of the nation’s largest network, combined with the world’s latest and greatest gadget.

Network tests do show that AT&T’s networks, are in fact faster. Is Apple setting itself up for a checkmate in the smartphone world? From the looks of it, they’re already positioning themselves to put RIM, HTC, and all other smartphone manufacturers in check.

The latest numbers show that Apple has sold a stunning 1.7 million phones since the release of the latest and greatest, just 6 days ago! That’s more iPhone than some countries have people!

With Apple’s leap to Verizon, currently with approximately 90 million customers, who is to say that Apple couldn’t easily double the amount of iPhones on the street(currently around 50 millions, including 2G, 3G, 3Gs, and 4) over the next 4 or 5 years. This is not a far fetched number when you look at the reality of how many are on the streets now, and it came out only a few years ago back in 2007.

“Apple is going to dramatically increase the number of devices it sells in the U.S. when exclusivity at AT&T ends,” said Hodulik, who is based in New York and rates Verizon shares “neutral.” “It’s hard to ignore the quality issues that AT&T has faced.”

Verizon Wireless, which is building a high-speed fourth- generation network, plans to unveil several devices that will run on the new technology in January at the Consumer Electronics Show, Chief Executive Officer Lowell McAdam has said.