France Telecom (NYSE: FTE), owner of the Orange network, is in talks with Apple (NSDQ: AAPL) to sell the iPhone in other countries, according to the company’s CFO Gervais Pellissier. Dow Jones reports that Pellissier revealed that the discussions were for more than “just two countries.” He also said that France Telecom was “pleased with the success” of the company’s exclusive deal with Apple that has another two and a half years to run—quashing recent rumours that the French group had balked at Apple’s supposed insistence that they slash iPhone prices to boost sales. Pellissier also said that he expected a 3G iPhone to boost sales in France, where Orange has sold over 100,000 of the device.

Yesterday, Vodafone (NYSE: VOD) announced it would be selling the iPhone in ten countries. News later surfaced that its deal in Italy is not an exclusive one, after Telecom Italia announced they too would be selling the device. Thomson Financial, meanwhile, picked up a story today from Portuguese newspaper Diario de Noticias, which reported Tuesday than Vodafone’s Portugal deal is not an exclusive one either, though it did not cite a source. Portuguese networks Portugal Telecom and Sonaecom are reportedly still negotiating with Apple over distributing the iPhone.

In Australia Vodafone declined to say whether the deal to sell the iPhone was exclusive, reports the SMH, and it’s a short jump to the conclusion that it is therefore not exclusive. “Mark Novosel, telecommunications market analyst at IDC, said the fact that Vodafone hasn’t announced whether the deal is exclusive indicates the iPhone will be sold by all carriers…He said it is likely Vodafone will sell the iPhone at a discount and lock it to its network, in which case Apple would sell an unlocked version – capable of running on any carrier – through its own stores.”

SK Telecom launches WCDMA automatic roaming services with England’s T-Mobile, Netherland and Sweden’s Vodafone, Denmark’s Hi3G in England, the Netherlands, Sweden and Denmark.

Automatic roaming services allow the user to take his/her mobile phone overseas for usage without changing handsets or being designated a separate number. WCDMA automatic roaming services even allow video calling (video calling not available in Denmark).

With four European countries added, WCDMA roaming services may be used in a total of 12 countries, including countries where previously available, such as Italy, France, Germany and Spain. SK Telecom has built a foundation for deployment of a WCDMA roaming belt in the European region, from Sweden in the North to Spain and Italy in the South.

SK Telecom revealed that it will continue to expand WCDMA automatic roaming services in the Europe region, in countries such as Portugal, Finland and Austria, and in Asia in countries such as Malaysia, Brunei, and the Philippines.

Lee Sung-Young, head of SK Telecom’s Global Roaming Division, remarked, “The availability of WCDMA roaming in the Western European region, where a great deal of foreign travel demand is concentrated, will contribute to the promotion of WCDMA.”

With the commercial launch of the Samsung ZV50, Vodafone becomes the first Portuguese operator to offer 3G Broadband – also known as 3.5G or HSDPA (High Speed Downlink Packet Access) – phones.

Following the introduction in Portugal of the first 3G Broadband service, the Vodafone 3G Broadband Mobile Connect Card, Vodafone is offering from today the first phone with a broadband access speed of up to 1.8Mbps, over 4 times the speed offered by Third Generation (3G/UMTS).

The Samsung ZV50 3G Broadband phone, exclusive to Vodafone, is available from today in the usual Vodafone sales outlets at a basic price of 449.90 euros.

Vodafone’s 3G Broadband coverage is already available in 81 cities in Portugal including Almada, Amadora, Angra do Heroísmo, Aveiro, Beja, Braga, Bragança, Caldas da Rainha, Cascais, Coimbra, Covilhã, Évora, Faro, Funchal, Guimarães, Horta, Lagos, Leiria, Lisboa, Loulé, Loures, Maia, Montijo, Oeiras, Oporto, Ponta Delgada, Portalegre, Portimão, Setúbal, Sintra, Torres Vedras, Viana do Castelo, Vila Nova de Gaia, Vila Real, Vila Real de Santo António and Viseu.

Vodafone’s 3G Broadband coverage is being progressively extended and by the end of 2006 will reach a total of 150 cities and other urban areas. When a customer moves into areas still without 3G Broadband coverage, the 3G Broadband equipment automatically switches to 3G or GPRS, which are available throughout Portugal.

With the pioneering launch of this phone and the rapid expansion of its 3G Broadband network, Vodafone is demonstrating and further reinforcing its leadership of Third Generation Mobile in Portugal.

Vodafone has always been at the forefront of the introduction of new technologies and the development of mobile data services. It pioneered the launch of 2.5G (GPRS), 3G (UMTS) and 3.5G (HSDPA) services in Portugal.