According to a statement from the nation's largest wireless carrier, all AT&T retail stores will open at 8 a.m. local time next Friday, when the iPhone makes its 3G debut.

The early opening is an attempt by AT&T to avoid the massive crowds that descended upon its retail locations around this time last year when the first-generation Apple iPhone hit the shelves and went on sale at 6 p.m. local time.

"We can't wait to offer iPhone 3G to our customers, and we want to make sure the buying process is as easy as possible," AT&T wireless' president and CEO Ralph de la Vega said in a statement.

Along with the early opening time, AT&T said this week that it will activate users' 3G iPhones in the store, a change from the original iPhone's release when buyers had to call AT&T after purchase for activation, creating jammed phone lines and long wait times.

Earlier this week, AT&T unveiled pricing models for the 3G iPhone, which will be offered for $199 for the 8 GB model and $299 for the 16 GB model if the user signs a two-year AT&T contract. Customers already with AT&T will have to shell out $399 for the 8 GB 3G iPhone and $499 for the model with twice the memory. That option also requires a new two-year service agreement. AT&T also noted that it will also offer a no-contract option for users that don't want to be locked into AT&T, despite the iPhone not working on other networks. A contract free iPhone 3G will run $599 and $699 for the 8 GB and 16 GB models, respectively.

Additionally, current AT&T customers who are upgrading to a 3G Apple iPhone will have to pay an $18 upgrade fee, while new AT&T customers will pay twice that, which is AT&T's standard activation fee.

Apple spokeswoman Amy Bessette said Thursday that Apple is still hammering out the details concerning when the company's more than 200 retail stores will begin offering the 3G iPhone come July 11. Bessette said Apple should have more information next week.