Nokia’s US lead Chris Weber in an interview said that the launch of the Lumia 710 on T-Mobile was just part of a much larger campaign to make Nokia relevant again in the US. Calling it Operation Rolling Thunder based on the Vietnam War bombing campaign, he told Bloomberg that Nokia would have a “very large presence” at the CES expo in January. Multiple Windows Phone models would come out at different prices and on different carriers in a sign that the company was no longer downplaying the US.
“It’ll be clear that Nokia is back in a quite strong way in the US,” Weber said.
Some uncertainty remains as to what devices Nokia would sell in the US. Rumors have pointed to an LTE-equipped Lumia 800 on AT&T and Verizon, while others have hinted at a 4.3-inch Lumia 900 that might be AT&T-only. The 710 shipping next month is considered a gateway phone for those new to smartphones and will even have an unlimited concierge phone line for help.
The plans mirror a broader recognition since Stephen Elop took over as CEO that the US is an important market needed to reverse major losses in market share. His predecessor, Olli-Pekka Kallasvuo, made repeated promises of paying more attention to the US during the iPhone era but never followed through in earnest, usually releasing just one or two smartphones with minimal support as he continued to focus mostly on Europe
