Today Cingular Wireless announced that customers purchasing the Apple iPhone and a wireless contract when it launches this summer will receive, at no extra cost, a refurbished Nokia 8210 to use as a “to go phone.”

This was done in response to Cingular’s market research results:

Customers who buy the iPhone are tech-saavy people who want to be on the forefront of the most cutting edge, hip gadgets. However they agree that the $599 iPhone is not the best choice for all occasions. It’s great for every day activites such as walking the dog or loitering in the local Starbucks but some activities such as a trip to a club or a vacation may constitute an unnecessary level of risk for the pricey phone.

Customers will be able to divert their wireless service to the “to go phone” temporarily before they engage in activities that may result in the iPhone being lost, stolen, scratched, smudged slightly, or made fun of.

Protective cases for iPods is a multi-million dollar market in the U.S. so Cingular is confident that many customers are willing to look ridiculous to protect their iPhone investment.