HELSINKI, July 2: Nokia’s networks unit head Simon Beresford-Wylie said tough competition in the mobile networks business could force some manufacturers to exit the industry.

He also said it is increasingly hard to gain market share.

There are already clear signs that at least a few traditional network makers could withdraw from the mobile networks business, Beresford-Wylie was quoted as saying in an interview.

Mobile phone operators, which cut spending on network equipment after the technology bubble burst, have only recently started to invest again.

Several European players, like Siemens, have quit the handset business in the last few years as competition from Asian companies intensified.—Reuters