i have a little question

[darkvare]

a friend of mine wants to order an iphone from the apple store, the question is if he orders them from the apple store can he activate it in any service provider or is he forced to have a contract with at&t?

i went to the site and they have two prices one with a little 2 and the other has nothing the small letters tell me the little 2 its the one that needs the at&t contract but i'm not sure. has anyone else bought one there?