UPDATE 2-America Movil to sell iPhone across Latin America

(Releads and adds background, prices, byline)

By Chris Aspin

MEXICO CITY, May 7 (Reuters) - America Movil (AMXL.MX: Quote, Profile, Research) said on Wednesday it would sell Apple Inc's (AAPL.O: Quote, Profile, Research) iPhone across Latin America this year, a deal that could extend its lead in the region over Telefonica (TEF.MC: Quote, Profile, Research).

Mexico-based America Movil, which operates in 16 countries in Latin America and the Caribbean as well as the United States, did not disclose financial details. It did not say if it was an exclusive accord.

The iPhone is a touch-screen device combining Apple's popular iPod music player, a video player and a Web browser.

America Movil, controlled by billionaire Carlos Slim, had more than 159 million cell phone subscribers at the end of March. It also had almost 4 million fixed-line clients.

It competes with Spain's Telefonica in the region and has held the upper hand in customer numbers for a couple of years.

Phone operators around the world have been competing to secure the rights to sell the iPhone.

Customers using the phone have driven up data revenues by surfing the Internet and sending e-mails, a key attraction to operators as the cost of making calls decreases.