Ericsson has joined the battle for control of Nortel Network’s core wireless division in a move that pits it against Nokia Siemens, one of its biggest European rivals, and MatlinPatterson, a US private equity fund.

The flurry of interest, ahead of Friday’s planned auction of the assets, reflects the strong strategic appeal of the Nortel business, which provides equipment for wireless networks across North America and develops technology for the next generation of wireless services.