Vodafone Still Weighing AT&T; Wireless Options

British mobile phone giant Vodafone Group tried to douse speculation it had decided to launch a bid of around $35 billion for U.S. rival AT&T; Wireless Services Inc., reiterating it was still considering its options.

As talk swirled that Vodafone had called a board meeting ahead of today’s bid deadline, the world’s largest cellphone group said only that it continued to explore whether a deal with AT&T; Wireless was in investors’ interest.

The market is braced for a bid battle between Vodafone’s Chief Executive Arun Sarin and Edward E. Whitacre Jr., the head of U.S. carrier SBC Communications Inc. SBC’s Cingular Wireless joint venture has already bid an informal $30 billion for its smaller U.S. rival.

A growing number of investors and analysts believe Sarin will make an opening bid for an asset that would give Vodafone long-sought-for control in the world’s most powerful economy and bring its brand across the Atlantic for the first time.

Vodafone’s shares rose 2 cents to $24.91. AT&T; Wireless shares rose 17 cents to $11.67. Both trade on the NYSE.