Nokia forced to withdraw 5800 XpressMusic in US
Faults with 3G and earpiece mean embarrassing backtrack
Nokia has been forced to withdraw certain models of its 5800 XpressMusic phone after it was revealed they couldn't connect to 3G in certain US cities.
Reports of a lack of HSDPA coverage started trickling in when the device was recently launched stateside, and it appears there is something wrong with the reception in these areas.
The Nokia Blog picked up this response from the Finns: "We have learned that some Nokia 5800 XpressMusic devices are having issues with 3G performance.
"This is a very isolated problem concerning only the North American market and is not specific to any other region or country. Only NY and Chicago are affected, in Dallas and Miami the devices are working OK. The investigation is ongoing on the device itself and the network used in these cases."
Seeking help
"We are currently investigating the matter further to find a quick remedy to the situation. Customer satisfaction and product quality are very important to Nokia and we take all quality and customer satisfaction-related issues seriously.
"Nokia is investigating the issue. Existing customers of the 5800 XpressMusic who experience 3G signal issue with the device are advised to contact Nokia Customer Care."
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Certain 5800 models have also had problems with the sealing around the earpiece, meaning moisture can get in and a new supplier had to be found, although any handsets sold after January will be OK, Nokia assured its customers.
The move won't be the happiest Nokia has ever made, as while it is flying high as a worldwide manufacturer, it has seen its popularity in the US slide dramatically in recent years.
From The Nokia Blog via NokNok.tv
Gareth has been part of the consumer technology world in a career spanning three decades. He started life as a staff writer on the fledgling TechRadar, and has grew with the site (primarily as phones, tablets and wearables editor) until becoming Global Editor in Chief in 2018. Gareth has written over 4,000 articles for TechRadar, has contributed expert insight to a number of other publications, chaired panels on zeitgeist technologies, presented at the Gadget Show Live as well as representing the brand on TV and radio for multiple channels including Sky, BBC, ITV and Al-Jazeera. Passionate about fitness, he can bore anyone rigid about stress management, sleep tracking, heart rate variance as well as bemoaning something about the latest iPhone, Galaxy or OLED TV.