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AT&T Wireless is seeing some solid benefits from being the exclusive mobile carrier for the iPhone in the United States, according to research firm The NPD Group. Some of its latest data shows one in three iPhone 3G buyers reportedly switched from other carriers to join AT&T.

NPD said specifically that “30 percent of U.S. consumers who purchased Apple’s new iPhone 3G from June through August 2008 switched from other mobile carriers to join AT&T…by way of comparison just 23 percent of consumers, on average, switched carriers between June and August 2008.” Verizon saw the highest rate of rate of defection, followed by T-Mobile and Sprint.

The iPhone 3G was also the best selling smartphone during the same period based upon unit sales to consumers. iPhone sales, added NPD, represented 11 percent of the consumer market for smartphones (January through May 2008); however, after the launch of iPhone 3G, Apple commanded 17 percent of the smartphone market (January through August 2008).