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Los Angeles (CA) – AT&T has retracted its offer of free wireless Internet access for iPhone users. According to company officials, the offer was mistakenly put up on the AT&T website earlier today, but it was quickly removed after just a few hours. This is the second time AT&T has jumped the gun[*3] on the free wireless announcement.

The original text of the website read, “We are proud to offer iPhone customers free access to the nation’s largest Wi-Fi hotspot network with more than 17,000 hotspots.” AT&T hotspots typically located at Starbucks coffee shops, many airports and bookstores. iPhone users at such hotspots would presumably[*4] be able to check their emails, surf the web and possibly use VoIP clients at a much higher speed than AT&T 3G network. In addition, battery life could also be increased – early iPhone reviewers claim 3G usage severely impact[*5] s battery life.

Back in April, AT&T said free wireless would eventually be available to iPhone users, but so far it hasn't commented on specific dates. It’s obvious that something will happen soon since a webpage has already been created. Back in May, AT&T also mistakenly popped up an announcement of free wireless access.

Opening up wireless access to iPhone units would relieve AT&T cellular networks because traffic would be offload[*6] ed through traditional landlines installed at the wireless hotspots. However, revenue from voice and text messaging might be adversely[*7] affected if people use VoIP apps to tunnel traffic past AT&T’s prying eyes. Recently, SIPGATE announced that its application would allow VoIP access through jailbroken iPhones.

Some market research analysts claim the 3G iPhone sold over three million units since its Friday launch.

[*1]retract / rɪˈtrækt; rɪˋtrækt/ v [I, Tn] (fml 文)
withdraw (a statement, charge, etc) 撤回或撤消（声明﹑ 指控等）: The accused refused to retract (his statement). 那被告拒不撤消（其供述）. refuse to honour or keep (an agreement, etc) 拒绝执行或遵守（协议等）: retract a promise, an offer, etc 食言﹑ 撤消提议.

[*2]This refers to WLAN products built to the IEEE 802.11 standard, which have been certified for interoperability by the Wi-Fi Alliance.

[*3]jump the gun 1 : to start in a race before the starting signal 2 : to act, move, or begin something before the proper time

[*4]presumably [prɪ'zuːməblɪ /-'zju-] adv. by reasonable assumption

[*5]impact ['ɪmpækt] have an effect upon 1 [I, Tn] press, drive or wedge (sth) firmly into sth; press, etc (two things) together 将（某物）压入或插入另一物; （将两物）挤﹑ 压﹑ 塞...到一起. 2 [Ipr, Tn] ~ (on) sth (esp US) have an effect on sth 对某事物有影响. impacted adj (of a tooth) wedged in the jaw so that it cannot growthrough the gum normally （指牙齿）阻生的: an impactedwisdom tooth 阻生智齿.

[*6]offload off·load /ˌɔfˈləud US ˌɔːfˈloud/ v [T] to get rid of something that you do not want by giving it or selling it to someone else offload sth onto sb　 The dealer had offloaded some of the shares onto a willing client.

[*7]adversely adv. in an adverse manner she was adversely affected by the new regulations