Nokia Does A Slow Fade On Cell-Phone Problem
By John Stackhouse, Computer Daily News
SYDNEY, AUSTRALIA,
05 Mar 2002, 12:55 AM CST
Nokia Australia was uncharacteristically silent Monday, refusing comment on an incident after Chief Technical Officer Yjro Neuvo beat a retreat at last week's World IT Congress in Adelaide when fronted by questioners claiming screen problems in their 8210 cell-phone handsets.
The questioners complained that the LCD screen image on their cell-phones drops out. Neuvo said he was unaware of any problem, but noted that "sometimes there are small problems with all phones, but these things can be resolved by taking them to the local representatives."
But a check of sources shows the problem isn't just local.
News stories from the U.S. and Europe over the weekend showed Nokia is aware of faulty screens in Europe, saying the problem is mainly confined to the Nordic countries and blaming cold weather.
A Wall Street Journal report said Nokia in the U.S. has also admitted the defect in some phones. The journal reported a research note issued last Friday by Dresdner Kleinwort Wasserstein estimated that repair expenses could cost Nokia, the world's largest maker of mobile phones, 50 million euros ($43.49 million) in profits.
In Adelaide, Neuvo, after initially claiming at a press conference to be unaware of any problems with the screen, was forced to back-pedal when a woman in the audience produced her 8210, demonstrated the problem and said her husband's phone has the same problem.
"I am not the man to talk to about these issues," said the CTO, suggesting the woman contact Nokia Australia.
Nokia Australia admitted Monday that it was in talks with the New South Wales State Department of Fair Trading but said it couldn't disclose the subject.
The 8210, at 79 grams, is claimed to be the lightest Nokia phone ever, and features voice dialling, "picture messaging" and Internet and data connections.
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