The world's biggest mobile phone handset maker Nokia unveiled a patent licensing deal with technology firm Trimble Navigation on Monday, aimed at tapping into the fast growing mobile navigation market.

Finnish based Nokia said it will have exclusive rights to use Trimble's patents in wireless consumer products and services and can also sub license rights to the Trimble patents to others.

Trimble, based in Sunnyvale, California, has more than 700 patents in technology that pinpoints users' locations, typically by communicating with positioning satellites or by measuring distances from cellphone towers.

Waldemar Sakalus, director of business development at Nokia's Mobile Phones unit, said Trimble's relevant portfolio was very strong.

In terms of absolute numbers it is not very, very big, but in the case of a special field it is very, very substantial, Sakalus told Reuters.

The companies did not disclose the financial terms of the agreement, but said it would not be material to revenue or profit at either firm.

The online edition of the Wall Street Journal had flagged the deal earlier on Monday.

Shares in Nokia were 0.3 percent lower at 15.46 euros by 1052 GMT (11:52 a.m. British Time), outperforming a weaker DJ Stoxx European technology sector index.

Nokia agreed in August to buy mapping software firm gate5 AG to offer consumers maps, routing, navigation and other location-based applications on its mobile devices.

We believe location is one of the most important areas in the future, Sakalus said.

Last week Nokia unveiled a new multimedia handset, the N95, with GPS positioning technology and free maps. The company said in August it expects the market for personal navigation devices to reach 15 million units in 2006, compared with 8 million last year.

California Electronics