Vodafone may be about to launch a bid for US telecoms giant AT&T Wireless - to protect its own interests there.
The UK-based phone giant already has a 24% market share in the States because of its 45% stake in US market leader Verizon Wireless.
Rival US group Cingular is believed to have made a $30bn (€23.57bn) valuation of AT&T's business which would give it a 30% US market share if a deal goes ahead.
To further complicate matters Japan's NTT DoCoMo, which has a 17% stake in AT&T Wireless, is also said to have made an informal bid approach.
Analysts believe Vodafone may have to either sell its share in Verizon Wirelss and bid for AT&T or try to buy parent Verizon Communications which has been valued at $100bn (€78.51bn).