SingTel and affiliates win Asia Pacific iPhone contracts

Singapore Telecommunications (SingTel), its subsidiary Optus, and affiliate telcos Bharti Airtel and Globe telecom, are to launch Apple's iPhone in each of their domestic Asia Pacific markets. From later this year, SingTel will deliver the device to Singapore, Optus to Australia, Bharti to India, while Globe will supply the Philippines. The announcement comes a week after Vodafone said it is to offer the smartphone to 10 of its worldwide markets.

While terms of the new deals have not been disclosed, the Asia Pacific iPhone contracts will not be offered on an exclusive basis. Last week, Vodafone said it would sell the device in Italy - where Apple already has a deal in place with Telecom Italia - as well as in India and Australia. Meanwhile, by the end of the year, SingTel's smaller rivals StarHub and MobileOne also aim to offer the iPhone in Singapore, reports Dow Jones.

SingTel, which employs roughly 19,000 people worldwide and made USD2.4bn in profit for the year ending Mar 2007, claims around 2.3m subscribers in Singapore. It acquired Optus in 2001, which serves roughly 7m Australian customers. SingTel owns a 30.5% stake in Bharti and 44.5% in Globe, making it the largest shareholder in each firm. Press reports claim that SingTel is currently in talks with Bharti over joining Bharti's planned bid for South African telco MTN.