There are people who believe the Microsoft acquisition of Skype will make Redmond’s relationship with carriers much worse but the leading internet telephony software company has been making steady progress wooing carriers. Years back at the CTIA show in Las Vegas, Chaim Haas, one of Skype’s PR representatives told me the Three UK deal between his client and Skype was working out well for the carrier and moreover, the company was hoping other carriers would partner as well.

Then more recently Verizon Wireless struck a solid relationship with Skype and now, TMC’s Paula Bernier breaks the story of how Canada’s Telus too has partnered with Skype to among other things champion usage of the VoIP company’s network and services.

Perhaps the Skype acquisition isn’t all bad news for Microsoft’s carrier relationships. In fact it may even do the opposite of what many pundits tell us – help Microsoft get more entrenched in carrier networks.

And certainly when you are the new underdog in the mobile world, any advantage like this one can come in handy when competing with Apple, RIM and Google.