Leak: Nokia testing Lumia 800 with LTE on AT&T, Verizon
updated 12:30 pm EST, Mon December 12, 2011
Nokia Lumia 800 may get multi-carrier US LTE
Talk of Nokia launching a Lumia 800 with LTE in the US gained traction Monday after a new leak had the release expanding. Insiders told CNET that Verizon, not just AT&T as mentioned before, was testing a version of the Windows Phone with 4G inside. They cautioned that Nokia was mainly trying to "get the ball rolling" on carrier approvals and that the carriers might be trying it solely to decide, not as guaranteed plans.
Rumors have mentioned an AT&T version possibly being unveiled at CES in January, possibly either at Microsoft's keynote or at AT&T's Dev Summit. Verizon has said that Windows Phone's support depends on LTE and may see Nokia taking over from the HTC Trophy as Verizon's main, if not only, Windows Phone.
Even if just theoretical, the move would still show Nokia taking the US more seriously than in the past. Before he was ousted in 2010, former Nokia chief Olli-Pekka Kallasvuo was routinely accused of paying lip service to the US, repeatedly promising smartphone support but never giving more than one or two poorly marketed devices. Nokia's reluctance to accommodate carriers often led it to sell most of its phones only as full-price, unlocked devices outside of carriers.
Nokia may have more ready as well. The Lumia 900 may be Nokia's first truly ground-up Windows Phone and could have a larger 4.3-inch screen, a front camera, and possibly LTE.
