Nokia, T-Mobile see strong demand for Lumia 710

While it's far too early to declare it a victory, and Nokia (NYSE:NOK) and T-Mobile USA are declining to provide specific sales figures, the companies and third parties are indicating strong sales of the Lumia 710, Nokia's first U.S. Windows Phone.

Click here to watch Nokia's introduction video to the Lumia 710.

The device, which went on sale for $49.99 in January but is now free with a two-year contract, has attracted customers with its low cost and solid feature set. The device could be a strong alternative to cheaper Android models, especially at Android-heavy T-Mobile. "Since launch (the Lumia 710) has consistently been among the most popular phones in the T-Mobile lineup," Cara Walker, a spokeswoman for T-Mobile, told CNET. "We're very pleased with the product and the reception it's getting among our customers."

Nokia and other analysts have reported similar findings. According to research firm Compete, the Lumia 710 is among the top five phones ordered online at T-Mobile, and was the third-most popular phone ordered online in February, behind only the Samsung Galaxy S II and the T-Mobile G2X. Amazon.com lists the Lumia as one of the top three phones for T-Mobile and Wirefly lists it in the top five for the carrier. That performance likely means the device is doing well at T-Mobile's retail stores as well, Compete analyst Christopher Collins told CNET.

Before the device went on sale, Nokia and T-Mobile carefully coordinated their retail efforts to ensure that the Lumia 710 was placed prominently in T-Mobile's stores and that the carriers' retail sales representatives were well-versed with the device so they could recommend it to potential shoppers.

Chris Weber, the head of Nokia's operations in the Americas, told FierceWireless in late February that Nokia is seeing "very positive momentum with T-Mobile on the 710 and great consumer buzz." He noted that customer satisfaction scores for the device are extremely high, and that it is not being brought back to retail stores, "which is so key with retail, because those devices that do come back, the retail sales reps lose faith instantly."

Enthusiasm for the Lumia 710 could drop off through when AT&T Mobility (NYSE:T) introduces the LTE-capable Lumia 900, which is expected sometime in April. Nokia has said it its confident it will receive strong retail and advertising support for the device from AT&T, but has not yet detailed any specific plans.

For more:
- see this CNET article

Related Articles:
Nokia's Weber: We'll 'absolutely' drive U.S. Windows Phone price points down
HTC, Nokia see bright future for Windows Phone adoption
Nokia unveils Lumia 610, expands potential Windows Phone market
T-Mobile to launch Nokia Lumia 710, but analysts say more is needed