Nortel wins $250M deal from Taiwan telco firm

Nortel Networks also announced a deal yesterday to supply wireless Internet components to Optimus Telecomunicacoes SA, a Portuguese mobile-phone operator, as it expands its network in northern Portugal. Under the Chunghwa deal, Nortel will sell the firm's wireless infrastructure equipment that will increase its network capacity to 6.5 million subscribers and will let the company offer high-speed wireless Internet services. Use of mobile-phone service in Taiwan is extensive, with more than 19.5 million of Taiwan's 23 million people owning a mobile phone. Nortel Networks built the initial mobile network for Chunghwa Telecom in 1994. In Portugal, Optimus Telecomunicacoes, a subsidiary of Sonae.com and France Telecom, is expanding its wireless network. Terms of the Nortel contract weren't disclosed.