AT&T looks beyond the iPhone

AT&T has reaped benefits from its exclusive deal to carry Apple’s iPhone. But what happens when the deal expires? Image: Apple

It’s the catch in every Cinderella story: Eventually the clock strikes midnight, and that opulent carriage turns into a pumpkin.

For AT&T’s (T) iPhone sales, the witching hour could be two or three years away – executives won’t say exactly when their exclusive contract with Apple (AAPL) runs out. But when it does, they know they will lose a valuable competitive advantage. Even now, AT&T executives and engineers are working on new technology initiatives to help the company thrive with or without its not-so-secret weapon.