Breaking up is hard to do. But for AT&T and Apple, parting ways may be a prospect daunting enough to keep them together.

That may be the cold reality behind negotiations with Apple (NASDAQ: AAPL) over the future of AT&T's (NYSE: T) position as the exclusive U.S. carrier for the iPhone. According to a report in the The Wall Street Journal, the carrier is aiming to lock up exclusive rights to the iconic smartphone through 2011.

But ultimately, neither party has many alternatives, industry observer say.

The two companies have worked together since the first iPhone debuted in 2007, and their agreement had been set to expire in 2008. In August, the two firms agreed to extend the exclusivity deal to the end of this year.

Any further extension on AT&T's exclusive with Apple for the iPhone hinges on a variety of factors. But one analyst says it may come down to the type of networks each carrier uses.

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