Shortlist cut for mobile network

By RICHARD PAMATATAU

TelstraClear has delayed choosing a provider of its multimillion-dollar 3G mobile network until next February and pared Canadian provider Nortel Networks from the list.

This year a pre-Christmas decision had been tipped.

TelstraClear chief executive Rosemary Howard said Ericsson, Siemens and Nokia remained on the shortlist for its 3G cellular network capable of delivering high-capacity services such as video calls, as well as complex multimedia and voice.

Howard said this year that the ideal situation would be for her company and competitor Vodafone or another provider to build and share a network.

It was working on regulatory issues but would not disclose their nature.

TelstraClear was also still working on its strategy for selling phones and was setting up a business unit to handle the mobile operation.

"Fortunately TelstraClear can draw from the company's wider family of knowledge and, in particular, the work being done in the Hong Kong subsidiary," she said.

Competitor Vodafone is still working with Nortel, Siemens/NEC, Ericsson and Nokia on its proposed 3G network.

Sarah Williams, Vodafone spokeswoman, said the company was still running through its processes and would reveal nothing else.

Both networks are expected to cost more than $500 million.