Talks to become an official handset distributor are understood to be at an advanced stage
Exertis is set to take its number of handset distribution agreements to 13, after holding talks with Alcatel.
Negotiations between the companies are understood to be at an advanced stage having first begun two months ago.
The deal, if agreed, would add to the ever increasing number of partnerships secured by Exertis since entering the handset space in 2008. These include Samsung, Microsoft, LG, Sony, Lenovo, Acer, Huawei, ZTE, Doro, Medion, Kazam and Wileyfox.
Alcatel, which rebranded from Alcatel OneTouch at this year’s Mobile World Congress in February, sold around 2.2 million handsets last year – up 37 per cent annually.
Like its Chinese rival Huawei, it has ambitions to usurp Sony to become the UK’s third biggest handset manufacturer by sales.
Alcatel already has existing distribution partnerships with Exertis’ rivals; Data Select, Ingram Micro, Tech Data and Brightstar. It is unknown if any of these will be affected should a deal be completed.
Exertis distributed a company record of 5.49 million handsets and accessories in its last financial year.