Apple's popular iPhone handset will reportedly arrive in Italy in a matter of weeks under a landmark deal that will have the handset sold through Telecom Italia Mobile without a contract or exclusive wireless carrier.

According to Italian newspaper Repubblica, a formal agreement was signed last week when Franco Bernabè, chief executive officer of Telecom Italia Mobile's parent company, Telecom Italia, met with Steve Jobs at Apple's headquarters in Cupertino, California.

According to sources close to the story, Telecom Italina Mobile will reportedly receive a several month exclusive on sales of a 3G iPhone through its retail shops. These locations will be staffed with specialists who are trained to support iPhone customers who will help get the units up and running on the carrier's 3G network.

The deal marks a significant contract deviation for Apple, which until now has pushed for exclusive partnerships with choice wireless carriers in each country the iPhone has been introduced in. The Italian market, in turn, is renowned for being the number one purchaser of pre-paid wireless contracts worldwide every year, thereby creating a market where Apple's typical deal may have proven highly unpopular to prospective buyers.

Consumers who opt to use TIM's network would be able to pick from predefined service plans tailored to the iPhone, or purchase minutes and data bundles as they go, Repubblica said.

Telecom Italia Mobile reportedly boasts a subscriber base of 36.6 million users and approximately more than 50% of the country's market share.

The company has declined to comment on the report at this time, stating it will offer its own statement "later on."

Stay tuned for more details as this story develops and if you've heard anything on your end, let us know over in the comments or forums.