SYDNEY, Australia-Cable & Wireless Optus, which operates a mobile-phone network in Australia, said it is in discussions with other telecom companies about forming a partnership in mobile telephony outside Australia. In addition, the company announced alliances for offering mobile data services to businesses.
The alliances, with IBM Corp., Nokia Corp. and Computer Sciences Corp., will give Optus a lead in GPRS, it said. Optus and Nokia plan to launch a data incubator center, which will develop data business applications specifically for GPRS, WAP and other mobile technologies.
“Earlier this year, we launched Australia’s first operational GPRS network,” said Paul O’Sullivan, managing director of mobile for Cable & Wireless Optus. “Now we are building customized solutions so systems from your corporate e-mail through to your corporate intranet can be readily accessed by a mobile device for convenience and portability.”
The carrier also said it is about to take delivery of GPRS-enabled handsets for commercial use, although it did not specify the supplier.
