Nokia grabs the Windex, clears up 'erroneous' Maemo carrier customization claims

We aren't too sure where a number of outlets overheard that Nokia was planning to pass on customizing its Maemo-based devices, but one of two things has happened: either Nokia is lying to our faces and has secretly had a change of heart, or everyone was just misinformed from the get-go. Regardless of the hows and whys, Nokia has now come clean and stated that those very reports -- you know, the ones that "erroneously suggested that Nokia will not support operator customization for Maemo devices" -- are "simply incorrect." A long winded explanation follows, but the long and short of it is that the suits in Espoo are (at least now) very open to letting operators "tailor future Maemo devices to suit their needs," which may or may not be a positive in your eyes depending on the carrier you're chained to. Now, aren't you glad we had this little talk?

[Thanks, Dallas]

[(Unverified) Posted Sep 11th 2009 2:23PM]

I knew it.
Devices priced at 1000+ euros need carriers subsides to survive in this market.
And few carriers in the world suck as much as the scandinavian ones.
I'm not so sure anymore if I'm gonna gonna buy the N900 as soon as it shows up.
I might be tempted to wait for HTC's Leo instead.
I have here a Nokia N97 and before I managed to make it usable and functional it took me a month of hard work and headaches.
But I also own HTC's touchHD and Hero and they have been a pleasure to use from day 1, the Hero actually has become my favorite phone.
I'm really in doubt if to throw more money at Nokia hoping that it still remembers how to make something as good as the N95, or if to stay faithfully with HTC , which disappointed me with the Diamond (my first HTC) but made me so happy with the TouchHD and now with the Hero.
I guess that its all my fault for buying new phones as soon as they come out and trusting pre release reviews, maybe this time I'll let some other geek act as guinea pig, I have already done my part.

[(Unverified) Posted Sep 11th 2009 6:20PM]

Scandinavian providers suck ???! really ? well, at least they are almost 10 times cheaper than the ones in Spain... and I bet they are quite cheaper than many others, almost everywhere else

[JoeKay Posted Sep 11th 2009 3:07PM]

@Plexus:
"And few carriers in the world suck as much as the scandinavian ones."

???
Can you elaborate?

For example, according to an OECD study that came out just a month ago, Finnish and Swedish (officially, Finland is not in Scandinavia but in the Nordics, but anyways... Sweden is) carriers charge their customers the _lowest_ fees in OECD countries, while carriers in the US, Canada and Spain are the most expensive. And 70% of phones in Scandinavia are sold unlocked, independent of a carrier, while in the US only 5%.

So what is that sucks about Scandinavian carriers? I'm not saying it can't be true, I just don't know what you mean. Based on what I know and what I experience, I would say few carriers in the world suck as much as the North American ones, and, sadly, the ones that I use, Canadians, are the worst of all.

[JoeKay Posted Sep 11th 2009 3:08PM]

Plexus, are you maybe confusing carriers and device manufacturers? Do you mean that Scandinavian manufacturers, i.e. Sony Ericsson, not carriers, suck? I don't understand your comment.

[(Unverified) Posted Sep 12th 2009 6:25PM]

Ok, since my statement caused such an interest, I'm going to explain you the reason why I'm so worked up with Danish mobile providers (dont know much about sweds phones).
You see , for the last 5 years or so Danish mobile companies (like all other electronics sellers) have been obliged by law at give a minimum 2 years full guarantee on the phones they sell and at bind customers to their networks ,by locking their phone, or their netbooks for maximum 6 months (as opposed as the 2 years in the US or one year in U.K.).
Moreover if during these 6 months they are going to change their rates or any clause in their contracts they are obliged to unlock all phones and netbooks and release all customers from any obligation.
In tiny little Denmark (5 millions people, half of whom living in the capital, Copenhagen), there are more than a dozen cell phone companies and the concurrence is ferocious.
Lenovo, LG, Samsung, Acer, netbooks can be had on the 6 months contract for 1 DKK (0,25$) and I own a Nokia N97, an HTC Hero plus a 10 months old (unlocked) HTC TouchHD , and for none of them I have payed more than 120/130 euros.
The flip side of this rosy situation is that the phone companies are forced to look for any little excuse to void your (2 years) guarantee, in particular they don't let any of their costoumers install new ROMs and Firmwares, ad if you do it by changing your phone serial number or "unbranding it" or by any other means you are saying goodbye for good to your remaining guarantee.
After I bought theN97 Nokia released (besides a flurry of OTA fixes and updates that luckily I could install) 2 new ROMs and a new one is due in october, which will bring cynetic scrolling, better camera , more memory and other godies; but no danes willing to retain his phone or netbook guarantee will be able to upgrade, not even after the 6 months of contract , when the telephone is unlocked.
Do you understand now why I am so mad at danish carriers?
First they tempt you with low fares, cheap smartphones and free netbooks, and then they blackmail you by threatening to revoke your guarantee if you just want to install a fimware to make your phone more functional.
Yes man, I think they suck.

[(Unverified) Posted Sep 13th 2009 10:29AM]

If you think that Danish carriers suck, then you clearly haven't researched those in the US. Not only are our phone guarantees voided by debranding, but they are locked to one network indefinitely (especially for the carriers that don't use SIM cards). Oh yeah, and we have to pay more for the service and the phone.

[SParklingCYaNide Posted Sep 11th 2009 2:45PM]

Oh Thank GOD! I was worried the BloatWare may not have made it onto the device.

[LessThanDug Posted Sep 11th 2009 2:54PM]

You suck Nokia.

[efekt Posted Sep 11th 2009 6:25PM]

Really - who cares if the phone arrives branded or not?! Anyone who wishes to have a generic version of the OS (i.e - not branded, as sold unlocked from no carrier) can just change the phone's product code to nokia's generic version code and update it, and now he has an un-branded and un-customized phone in his hands.
Its a simple procedure which takes less than 5 minutes to perform - so who cares about that?

[jonshipman Posted Sep 11th 2009 6:27PM]

Firmware flash please

[(Unverified) Posted Sep 11th 2009 6:29PM]

ATTENTION!!! ATTENTION!!!
All T-mobile board members, please dont make the idiotic mistake of F*ing this piece of art up.
Kapiche???

[(Unverified) Posted Sep 13th 2009 10:34AM]

I lost an E71, and was really happy to know that AT&T started selling it for only $99. Then I went to an AT&T store, used it, and realized that AT&T replaced many of the E71 features with proprietary programs that in many cases cost money to use. I ended up buying an E71 unlocked on Amazon for $300.

Why do carriers do this? I would have gladly given AT&T my money and signed up for a 2 year contract if the phone they sold wasn't crippled.