T-Mobile Germany launches Lumia 800 – With carrier billing!

Here’s an intersting piece of information, or atleast it is if you haven’t been a close Nokia follower. T-Mobile Germany has just announced the availability of the Lumia 800. In itself impressive by Nokia standards since we have grown used to months between announcement and carrier availability, but that’s in the past.

The key take-away from T-Mobile’s news is that they have carrier billing enabled for Marketplace purchases. While it may seem as a little thing, this is actually pretty huge. Firstly it makes the transition from Symbian (or Nokia in general) to Windows Phone much easier since you don’t need a credit card anymore to be able to buy stuff on the Marketplace. Secondly it makes it far easier for first time smartphone users to be able to buy apps. And thirdly, this benefits developers as well. The threshold for buying apps is lowered and thus the potential revenue for a paid app ‘could’ increase.

Most Symbian users have grown accustomed to carrier billing and it is one less thing to worry about now that Nokia’s WP solution can provide the same for atleast one carrier right now. No word yet on if carrier billing is a Nokia exclusive though.

It has been a bit of hurdle for myself as well in making the jump to Windows Phone, the whole credit card thing required me to get one for the sole purpose of downloading apps. Hopefully the carrier billing thing will expand rapidly to other countries.

Thanks mprince for bringing it to my attention again!

Category: Nokia