T-Mobile to use Nortel billing technology

T-Mobile International announced Tuesday that it plans to use a new "packet sniffing" product from European cell phone service provider Nortel Networks, which is a majority owner of T-Mobile USA. Packet-sniffing is a common cell phone service provider technique to ensure correct billing for wireless data services and to build future personalized services. Such systems usually require carriers to buy expensive additional hardware. The Nortel product is based on software that's installed in equipment T-Mobile already has in use, a Nortel representative said. Financial details were not disclosed.

A T-Mobile International representative said the company may expand the capabilities to T-Mobile's other European customers, but it has no immediate plans for the United States.