Nokia to become MVNO in Japan

When Mark Lowenstein discussed MVNO 2.0, he cited Apple as a good example. They might not be an MVNO by traditional definition, but their device created a wider market for data services. They don’t buy minutes wholesale, but they do benefit when AT&T sells bundles of minutes to iPhone customers. It appears Nokia is going to try something similar in Japan. They’ll start an MVNO in 2009, using NTT Docomo’s network.

This is an interesting strategy for the world’s No. 1 phone manufacturer. They’re said to be offering their high-end phones with this service, so they’re definitely hitting a niche. They also hold only one percent of the Japanese market, so this could be a way to gain deeper exposure.

There aren’t many details available at the moment, but this is something we’ll definitely keep tabs on. If successful, it could change the way we relate with carriers and manufacturers.

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