Vodafone-Essar to award $1.8-billion network contract

Mumbai: According to media reports, the UK-based Vodafone Group Plc, the world''s No.2 mobile phone company by customers, will award contracts worth about $1.8 billion to expand the operations its joint venture with the Essar Group, Vodafone-Essar, the former Hutch-Essar.

This would be among the largest telecom infrastructure contract in India, which reports say would be awarded to Nokia Siemens Networks, Ericsson and Motorola.

In June, Arun Sarin, chief executive, Vodafone, said the company would invest $2 billion this year to expand operations in India.

Vodafone''s growth in the matured European markets have reached a plateau and the telecom carrier expects its Indian operations to provide future growth.