If all goes smoothly, I'll have a new 3G iPhone in about 15 hours, when what some nerds call the "Jesus Phone" officially goes on sale at 8 a.m. Friday morning.

In about 16 hours, I might be kicking myself, since I've already blogged extensively about how my AT&T Blackberry sports some of the worst network coverage I've ever seen in the 11 years I've owned a cell phone. Not only does it not work in my home, it rarely works reliably anywhere in Milwaukee. Even Downtown, at least 20 percent of my calls fail. In Bay View, it's more than half. And don't even get me started on trips Up North.

And while I don't believe the AT&T rep who told me in April that they'd be building a tower near my house "sometime this summer," I plan on giving the iPhone a whirl. I'm not under any contract currently, and assuming they don't mess with me, my online account says I'm eligible for an equipment discount with a two-year service agreement. That means, hopefully, this iPhone will cost $199. My service will cost a little more, but oh well.

Yes, I'm skeptical. But I'm just too much of a Mac nerd not to take the plunge. Maybe I spend too much time on the phone, anyway, and a little "SEARCHING FOR SERVICE" isn't a bad thing.

The only question is where will I plan my strategic strike. Here are my thoughts, and if I see you in line before me at 8 a.m., well, I guess I brought it on myself:

• Both Apple Stores will be packed. If you've ever dealt with the mellow and disinterested employees at the Bayshore or Mayfair locations, you know this could make for a stressful morning. Steer clear.
• Alternatively, the AT&T stores might be a good bet. There are five in Metro Milwaukee, and while these employees know the most about their own services, they aren't Mac experts. Since you have to activate the iPhone in-store (and not online via iTunes), this could get messy.
• I'm going to the AT&T store, especially because there are two stores within three blocks of each other near Southridge. I'm hoping that if the lines are long at one, the other is more manageable.

Early adopters, see you there. I'll report back when the deal is done.