Nokia's second attempt to launch its Comes With Music (CWM) service in the UK would seem to heading for another disaster. Based on the 5800 handset, Orange and the retailer Phones 4u--the two official outlets for the service--have each reported sales volumes of less than 10 units following the relaunch of the 5800 CWM service on 30 May.
While Orange and Phones 4u defended the appalling shipment figures, claiming the service wasn't properly launched yet and this was just a test phase, retail sales commission have been increased in an effort to boost numbers.
However, retail staff have criticised the tariffs being offered with the device, particularly the monthly data available for over-the-air downloads, as well as the lack of an unlimited texts option. One staffer said: "It's ridiculous to ask the type of customers who want this CWM service to have a limit of 300 or 500 texts per month."
While Nokia will claim the 5800 handset has been a worldwide success, its CWM service has struggled to gain success or momentum. But one retail manager commented the industry applauded what Nokia was attempting to achieve with CWM. "It is genuine innovation and is good for the industry, but they need to get the proposition right."
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