Helsinki - Finnish-based Nokia, the world's biggest mobile phone maker, said Thursday its operating profit dropped 21 per cent for third quarter 2008.

Operating profit for the quarter was 1.46 billion euros (1.98 billion dollars), compared to 1.86 billion euros for the corresponding business period 2007.

Net sales dropped 5 per cent in the quarter to 12.2 billion euros.

Nokia estimated that its share of the global handset market in third quarter 2008 was 38 per cent, compared with 39 per cent in the third quarter 2007 and 40 per cent in the second quarter 2008.

The Cellular Operators Association of India (COAI) has welcomed the proposal of department of telecommunication regarding separation of income from 2G and 3G services. 

The Director General of COAI, TV Ramachandran said that the proposal of DoT would speed up the 3 G technology rollout in the country. Thus, people of the country could avail broadband services at low price and in continuous manner. The body strongly advocated the segregation of GSM and WCDMA revenues.

Ramachandran said that UK has already separated the revenue from 3G and 2G services. 

Himachal Pradesh is geared up for the launch of BSNL’s IPTV services, which will be unveiled in Shimla next month. BSNL is the largest telephone operator in Himachal Pradesh. Other than IPTV services that are to be introduced on broadband, BSNL will also launch 3G services on mobile phones. 

Initially, these services would be provided in 256 centres statewide but soon these centres would extend to 400. 

Public Sector communication company Bharat Sanchar Nigam Limited (BSNL) is all geared up to launch Internet Protocol Television (IPTV) service in Himachal Pradesh by next month.

According to the sources, Shimla will become one of the first few cities in India to have BSNL's IPTV service. The company is presently giving final touches to its software system for launching. 

The Cellular Operators Association of India (COAI) did not like the change in the norms of mobile number portability (MNP). MNP would allow customers to retain the same number even after changing the network service provider. 

According to one clause of MNP norms, a customer can shift from the GSM to CDMA or vice-versa within the same service provider without going through any central agency. 

The British Telecom would provide various telecom services to state owned Bharat Sanchar Nigam Limited (BSNL). The company tied up with BSNL on Monday to offer managed services spanning basic, leased line, Internet, mobile and broadband services.

It would help the telecom giant to expand its broadband network in the rural India. BSNL would also get access to value-added services and all queries and fault management services from BT.

BT would also allow BSNL to access its global MPLS network and managed service expertise.