Verizon Hiring 1,700 Customer Service Reps Ahead of iPhone Launch?

Verizon may have begun its preparations for the launch of the iPhone on its network, according to a CNET report.

The hiring companies, Salt Lake City-based Teleperformance and Kennesaw, Ga.-based Ryla, are hiring at facilities around the country, with Ryla advertising for 1,700 positions in Indiana, California, Virginia, and Colorado.

Though few of the job postings specify which company the new employees will be taking calls for, Teleperformance's Careerbuilder post says employees in Pennsylvania will field calls for a "major wireless cell phone service retailer."

Although rumors of a Verizon iPhone have been rampant for some time, both the NYT and the WSJ have recently "confirmed" that the carrier will in fact launch the device early next year.