Deutsche Telekom said that they have already sold more that 10,000 iPhone contracts on Friday. The iPhone went on sale at midnight in Germany, and hundreds of people showed up in the rain in Cologne, according to a T-mobile spokesman.

"Ten thousand is very successful for the first day," a T-Mobile spokesperson told Bloomberg News. The number includes devices sold both in stores today and on T-Mobile’s Website.

In Frankfurt, the administrator of the city’s theater department, Carstem Schrauff, also went out into wind and rain. "I’m sick of writing e-mails with little pens," he said. "I’m also sick of having to get stupid updates for my mobile-phone every four months or so. It was so regular it’s like going to the dentist."

"It is an attractive product that will help us generate additional revenue," said Deutsche Telekom CEO Rene Obermann yesterday in Bonn. "I’m happy that we’re able to carry the product for the Christmas season. I’m optimistic."

Despite the energy by hundreds of people out in the rain to buy iPhones on the first day, the frenzy of U.S. buyers apparently wasn’t repeated. Even so, Deutsche Telekom regarded 10,000 contracts on the first day as a good start.

Deutsche Telekom shares were up 0.5 percent to €14.21 in Frankfurt.

Sales in the UK are scheduled to start Friday at 1:00 PM Eastern Time.