Nokia’s Lumia 900 phones are being championed as key to the future success of the Windows Mobile Phone (News - Alert), but one glitch already arose with its recent release. Some of the new phones were having problems when connecting to AT&T's data network, according to news reports.
On Wednesday, Nokia (News - Alert) announced it has released an update to remedy the problem. The fix should be able to be downloaded through Zune next week. Users with the troubled phones can also exchange them for a new one. Nokia is also giving out a credit for $100 on AT&T (News - Alert) bills if users have already or will purchase the phone by April 21.
In a statement released on Wednesday, Nokia confirmed the glitch, which it called a software issue related to memory management that may in some cases, lead to loss of data connectivity. The problem is with the phone’s software, not the hardware or network, the company adds.
Earlier, Phone Arena reported some of the new phones – which were made in Mexico – had a problem with the International Mobile Equipment Identity (IMEI) number not registering on the data network. That was happening on 2G, 3G and 4G networks, one AT&T source told Phone Arena. The defective phones were being removed from AT&T stores, according to news reports.
The problems with the phone were not limited to just any run-of-the-mill users. The Houston’s Chronicle’s Dwight Silverman complained that the model he was given as a sample could not connect to the Internet. It’s an LTE (News - Alert) phone, but it couldn’t find that superfast network, nor could it talk to AT&T’s slower HSPA+ system. It could make phone calls and connect to Wi-Fi, but that was about it.
A manager at one of the AT&T stores later told Silverman Nokia had shipped other phones that were seeing the same problem, according to his report. Nokia apparently knew the ID numbers for the phones which had the problem, and the company and AT&T were trying to collect them before the phones went on sale, Silverman adds in his blog post.
Other user complaints made their way to forums on the Nokia site, according to a report from PC World.
One temporary recommended fix coming from Phone Arena was: Remove the SIM card. Then do a master reset. Boot the device while the SIM card is removed. Turn the phone off. Then, make sure the SIM card is LTE-enabled. Only after that, insert the SIM card and boot again.
The early problems with the new phone were not considered an end-all for the phone. But it is clearly something the companies would like to have avoided.
“The stakes couldn't be higher,” claims a reviewer from Seeking Alpha. “The future of Windows Mobile Phone hinges on the success of the Nokia Lumia 900.”
In its review, Seeking Alpha described the phone as “drop-dead gorgeous” and praised its $99 price. If any phone could rocket Windows Phone 7 to success it's the Lumia 900, the review added.
But the review questioned the wisdom of Microsoft (News - Alert) and Nokia giving the phone only to AT&T for a launch that took place on Easter Sunday.
At the recent Consumer Electronics Show, the Nokia Lumia 900 won the Best of CES 2012 award. Several other industry awards were given to the phone, too, according to the Nokia website.
In addition, the Nokia Lumia 900 is being offered in Canada exclusively at Rogers Communications, according to a report carried by TMCnet. Nokia has sold about 2 million Lumia phones since the product line was launched in November.