Verizon Wireless announced Friday that online pre-orders of the iPhone 4 have resulted in “the most successful first day sales in the history of the company.”

[ad#Google Adsense 300×250 in story]The iPhone 4 was available for pre-order only to existing Verizon customers for a few hours on Thursday before both allotments of the phones were depleted. Remaining Verizon customers wishing to upgrade will have to wait, along with everyone else, for the phone to be available next week.

Dan Mead, Verizon Wireless president and CEO, called Thursday “an exciting day” and added that Verizon sold more iPhone 4s in just in the first two hours (from 3 a.m. to 5 a.m. Eastern) than at during any other “first day launch” in the company’s history.

The iPhone 4 from Verizon goes on sale to the general public at 7 a.m. Eastern on Feb. 10 at more than 2,000 Verizon Wireless Communications stores, Apple stores, Best Buy, select Wal-Mart locations and online at Verizon Wireless and Apple Web sites.