The third generation of mobile phone networks (3G) attract large licence fees, face crippling delays, lack a clear business case and may ultimately bankrupt their operators. That, at least, is the view of most business people. But optimists insist there are enough innovative companies in the telecommunications industry to transform the beleaguered 3G brand.

A new report, somewhat optimistically titled The Saviours of 3G, identifies the world's leading 125 wireless application developers and content providers from 24 countries, based on criteria such as financing, customer contracts, geographic focus and sales.

Countries that were found to be leading the world, perhaps predictably, were Japan, Finland, the UK, Israel, Sweden and the US. The report, by Mobile Metrix and BWCS, fails to identify a 3G ‘killer application', however.