Stephen Elop steps up to the U.S. challenge

By Rich Edmonds
last updated

On CNET, Roger Chen has written an article pointing at Nokia and Stephen Elop regarding the U.S. market and how the manufacturer should step up their game. He went into talk about customisation, carriers, handsets and more with how Nokia has failed in the past with global products being stocked by all carriers.

"One of the biggest mistakes Nokia made in the past was to stick with its strategy of building one global device and forcing it onto every carrier in the world, with only minor adjustments to the radio and frequency. From a business perspective it made a lot of sense, allowing it to generate massive economies of scale and, accordingly, higher profit margins. Among smaller carriers around the world, that works just fine."

Chen finished the post with the question, "Are you game?" Elop has since published a tweet stating, "Roger, we're game." It would seem as though the handset maker is set to not only create a successful marketing campaign in Europe, but in the U.S. at some point too.

Via: AllAboutWindowsPhone; Thanks, aubreyq, for the heads up!

Rich Edmonds
Rich Edmonds
Senior Editor, PC Build

Rich Edmonds was formerly a Senior Editor of PC hardware at Windows Central, covering everything related to PC components and NAS. He's been involved in technology for more than a decade and knows a thing or two about the magic inside a PC chassis. You can follow him on Twitter at @RichEdmonds.

6 Comments
  • Excellent advice!  Nokia's ad campaign in Europe has been outstanding, but unfortuntely for consumers, carriers rule in the US.
  • As long as they bring a QWERTY Windows Phone device and make it available on Sprint.
    I'll be a happy man.
  • On the contrary, your sentiment just backs up the hope that Nokia can buck the trend and not just come to the US and bow to the carriers. The distribution of WP7 devices is criminal, and if Nokia follows the trend all the best devices will go to one carrier with little or no choice for people on other carriers. The author of that article is probably an at&t customer, but encouraging Nokia to play the carrier's exclusivity game is not beneficial to consumers at all.
  • Any suggestion how Nokia gets on a US carrier without working with them?  Remember that no phone gets on Sprint or Verizon and reaches their 160 million customers unless its approved and activated by them.  What leverage does Nokia have, since no US carrier has cared about their products in over a decade?  Not arguing, sincere questions.
  • Dude if you and 10 2 20k of your friends
    want Sprint do WP phones stop yapping in the forums here about it and let Sprint hear from all of you with your wallets Sprints only going to leap when they know they'll make their money back Do you think Apple got the iphone on a wing and a prayer?
  • W00t! My tip made it. You're welcome, guys!