SINGTEL is in talks to bring in the 'Google' phone, the company said at an earnings briefing on Wednesday morning.

Discussions are underway with the the manufacturer of HTC G1, more popularly known as 'Google' phone, Taiwan's High Tech Computer Corporation, and technology giant Google, which makes the software, are underway, said the company's chief executive for Singapore, Mr Allen Lew.

He declined to say though, when he expected to have the device on the shelves. He also would not say if SingTel was hoping to lock in an exclusive deal like the one it has with Apple to distribute the iPhone 3G here, for the G1.

SingTel is keen on smart phones like the iPhone and G1, because their users generally consume more mobile data traffic and, thus, generate more revenue for the telco. SingTel's iPhone 3G users, for instance, generated 1.5 times the revenue of non-iPhone 3G users.

Smart phones are the 'key to driving mobile data revenue growth', said the company a release to the Singapore Exchange last week, .

Besides using more data, having a larger pool of smart phone users will move the telco to new growth areas like mobile advertising and location-based services.

While the G1 and the iPhone has been hogging the limelight, there are other 'interesting' smart phones, and SingTel is keen to bring them all in, said Mr Lew.