Originally Posted by Funkstar 
This is definitely the case now. Ex clusive deals are very common in the US, so being exclusive on AT&T wasn't really that big of a surprise. But by the time they came to offer it round the world, the networks were lining up with big bags of cash looking for the same exclusive deal.
Very true - you can tell by the way the O2 stores/web site act like the iphone is the only phone you might want. It always the front page item - The N97 didn't ever appear. Got to make that money they paid out somehow.