For the first time, Apple has partnered with a U.S. wireless carrier other than AT&T. With 2,000 retail stores all over United States, Verizon Wireless will be selling Apple’s iPad starting Oct. 28 as announced today.

“We’re thrilled to be working with Verizon Wireless to get iPad into the hands of even more customers this holiday season,” said Apple chief operating officer Tim Cook in a statement.

Though the iPads offered by Verizon are very much just like AT&T, this deal marks a strong and lasting partnership between  Apple and Verizon Wireless.

There will be three iPad bundles offered by Verizon having a Wi-Fi model with a separate Verizon mobile hotspot device. Prices starts at $500 for the Wi-Fi only iPad. Wifi+3G will be sold at $630 for a 16GB and $830 for a 64GB.

Verizon offers unlimited data use for its smartphone data plans but not with the iPad data, tagging a $20 price for a monthly plan of 1GB of data. This is pretty much averaging AT&T’s 250 MB data plan with a price of $15 and 2GB data plan for $25.

It’s a big move for Apple, setting the stage for widespread iPad access through a number of retailers, which has recently expanded to include Walmart and Target.  Apple is able to own the tablet market in this way, getting a head start on the market, which it’s typically been restricting for sales of its devices until the iPad came along.  It’s also a move that brings a tinge of hope to Apple lovers that don’t like AT&T–another step closer to Apple’s iPhone availability from Verizon?  Whatever loopholes necessary, we’ll take ’em!