Ericsson says remains 3G market leader

Swedish telecoms equipment maker Ericsson said on Tuesday it remained the global market leader in third-generation mobile phone network systems although rival Nokia had recently won several big 3G contracts.

Ericsson had won 25 of the total 45 commercial 3G, or Universal Mobile Telephone System (UMTS), orders awarded to date, Ericsson Mobile Systems head of media relations Mats Thoren told the press.

Analysts agreed that Ericsson remained number one.

"From the 15-20 biggest operators, which account for more than half of the world's subscribers, Ericsson has won a few orders more than Nokia . Ericsson and Nokia are the big winners in 3G," said Handelsbanken telecoms analyst Gunnar Andersson.

Within the past 10 days Nokia has won five network orders from operators linked to Orange , the mobile phone unit of France Telecom . The latest was a 160-million-euro ($144.3 million) three-year deal with Orange Switzerland announced on Tuesday which included 240 million euros in financing.

"One should not draw too far-reaching conclusions from Nokia's orders from Orange today and last week. It is too short a period of time to say anything conclusive about trends," Andersson said.

Helena Nordman-Knutson, an analyst at Ohman Fondkommission brokerage, said Nokia had won the Orange Switzerland order thanks to the substantial financing package offered.