NICE -- Management World 2010 -- Word on the show floor here is that Ericsson AB (Nasdaq: ERIC) and Huawei Technologies Co. Ltd. are locked in the final stages of a vendor selection battle to win a group-wide IMS (IP Multimedia Subsystem) deal at Deutsche Telekom AG (NYSE: DT).

According to an industry source, the deal will involve the supply of IMS elements to DT in Germany and to the carrier's multiple operations in Central and Eastern Europe. A final decision is expected to be made in a matter of weeks.

And it seems to be down to those two players. Even though a former executive of Alcatel-Lucent (NYSE: ALU) is now the CTO at Deutsche Telekom, AlcaLu is apparently not in the running. (See DT Snaps Up Former AlcaLu Man .)

— Ray Le Maistre, International Managing Editor, Light Reading