For a long time Telstra was the frontrunner to partner with Apple on an iPhone launch, mainly because it is the only network to use the EDGE technology deployed on the original iPhone, which sits between 2G GSM services and faster 3G UMTS networks.  

With the Australian launch widely expected to be part of a global 3G upgrade for the iPhone, that advantage dissipated, and in the past week both Optus and Vodafone have been linked with the iPhone as non-exclusive launch partners.

So far only Vodafone has officially declared its hand, but it seems that Telstra is now back in the mix, an industry source telling CNET.com.au that the network is gearing up to launch the iPhone at the end of June.

Like Optus, Telstra hasn’t commented on the rumours, presumably leaving it to Apple to make the official announcement – widely tipped to be the main attraction in Steve Jobs’ keynote speech at Apple’s Worldwide Developers Conference on June 9.

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