Dell Selling Nokia Phones
Will it help Nokia's US Smartphone Sales?
In a move that could be meant to capitalize on the anticipated rising tide in the smartphone market when the iPhone hits, Dell recently began selling unlocked Nokia N-Series phones (specifically the N80, E61, and N95) on their Web site.
This is important news in the US, where mobile phone purchases are made almost strictly through carriers (and locked to that carrier, in most cases). While buying an unlocked phone from Dell will be significantly more expensive, it gives you the freedom to use the device with any GSM carrier and without the need for a contract. And, from Nokia’s POV, this could be a good way to gain some much needed traction in the US market without having to worry about being hamstrung by carrier restrictions.
It should be quite interesting to see if the extra freedom associated with buying an unlocked phone will be worth the extra cost to a US customer who is used to a deep carrier discount.