The AT&T website has stopped offering phones to the New York metropolitan area, and entering a zipcode from there delivers the message that it is “unavailable” in that area, according to a blog report. AT&T is continuing to sell iPhones in NYC stores.

After verifying this on the AT&T Wireless website, the Consumerist blog called up AT&T customer service and had this conversation:

Daphne: Welcome to AT&T online Sales support. How may I assist you with placing your order today?

Laura: Hi, I was looking at the iPhone 3Gs and the system tells me that I cannot order one in my ZIP code. My zip code is 11231. (Brooklyn, NY) Is this true? Are iPhones no longer available in New York City?

Daphne: I am happy to be helping you today . Yes, this is correct the phone is not offered to you because New York is not ready for the iPhone.

Daphne: You don’t have enough towers to handle the phone.

Laura: Thank you for your help. So the phone is not available to people anywhere in the city?

Daphne: Yes this is correct Laura.

The move echoes the sentiment of AT&T’s CEO earlier this month – he wants iPhone users to limit their usage to take the strain off his network. But to cut off website purchases to New York City seems like both a PR nightmare and a move that’s unlikely to make any difference: surely iPhone buyers will just pick up the phone elsewhere?

We sure hope the reports are wrong on this.

Update: BoyGeniusReport got a similar response from AT&T, thus confirming the reports. AT&T provided no reason to BGR why they’ve stopped selling iPhones to NYC residents.

Update 2: AT&T is now telling callers that it has stopped accepting online orders in NYC due to fraud.

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