Ericsson and Alcatel bid for Marconi

SWEDISH telecoms equipment giant Ericsson and France’s Alcatel are neck-and-neck in the final stage of a contest to buy Marconi, according to weekend reports in the British press.

The Sunday Telegraph, which did not reveal the source of its information, said final bids for the beleaguered telecommunications equipment firm were due next Tuesday and a winner could be announced the same day. None of the three companies were immediately available for comment.

Britain’s last remaining telecoms equipment maker has said it is considering all strategic options after its future was thrown into turmoil in April this year when it lost a much-expected network upgrade contract from its largest customer, the phone giant BT.