Nokia's telecom device business enterprise Nokia Siemens Networks yesterday recorded a third-quarter operating loss as next to a minute profit anticipated for the period.

The 50-50 Nokia Siemens undertaking has jostled to stay out of the red ever since its 2007 commenced with declining operator expenses and ferocious pricing from Asian competitor Huawei and ZTE. The wing recorded an operating loss of € 116 million, downward from a loss of 53 million a year prior.

The third quarter sales for the group were trailing up by 7 per cent from a year back to €2.94 billion, thrashing the analysts' average estimate of €2.91 billion. In the meantime, its opponent, Sweden's Ericsson is anticipated to record smooth third-quarter core earnings when it records its profit tomorrow.

Nokia Siemens Networks, a combined venture flanked by Siemens and Nokia's Network Business Group, is the next biggest telecom equipment dealer in the globe.

Formally rolled out at the 3GSM World Congress in Barcelona in the year February 2007, the group started complete operations on 1 April 2007.