Toronto-based Globalive — the parent company of Wind Mobile — said Friday it is in talks with U.S. and international banks to raise "several hundred million dollars" in the rollout of its new wireless phone service in Canada.

CEO Anthony Lacavera said he also hopes to entice Canadian banks to invest in its growth.

Globalive chairman Anthony Lacavera says the new capital will be used to improve and expand Wind Mobile's wireless network and offerings. (Darren Calabrese/Canadian Press)

"We are hopeful we can bring some Canadian capital into the picture," Lacavera said.

Wind Mobile launched its service in Toronto and Calgary in December, going up against established players Rogers, Bell and Telus. It plans to expand to Ottawa and Edmonton in February and Vancouver by early April.

Egyptian-based telecommunications company Orascom owns 65 per cent of Globalive's holding shares and a third of its voting shares.

The federal telecoms regulator, the CRTC, initially denied approval for Globalive to operate Wind Mobile on the grounds it wasn't Canadian enough, but the federal government overturned the ruling in December.

Lacavera said the new capital will go toward improving and expanding Wind Mobile's wireless network and offerings.

Telecoms analyst Carmi Levy said raising money from Canadian lenders would directly address the concerns about Canadian ownership issues the Canadian Radio Television and Telecommunications Commission had.

"It gives them an opportunity to deepen their ties to the Canadian business market and to Canadian investors," said Levy.

With files from The Canadian Press