Playing both sides: Nokia says its 4G position 'has not changed'

Coupled with the discontinuation of the N810 WiMAX, Nokia's intention to get LTE devices into the marketplace by next year had many folks thinking that the company was starting to sour on WiMAX altogether, but -- at least officially -- it turns out that's not the case. Nokia has contacted us today to let us know that its positions on the battling 4G technologies have not changed, emphasizing that the N810 WiMAX's departure "does not apply to other WiMAX business development efforts that Nokia is involved in." Considering the growing belief that both of these technologies are here to stay -- that is, it's not looking like an HD DVD vs. Blu-ray-style battle of attrition -- it's a shrewd attitude for Nokia to take.

It gets juicier, though: Nokia is also refuting claims that it has entered into an exclusive agreement to develop a touchscreen LTE device with Verizon: "While we have not entered into any exclusive agreement for 4G touch screen device development as is being reported, we will continue to follow and pursue developments as a normal course of business." In other words, "we're not opposed to the idea, but we haven't yet." Sorry to leave you hanging, Verizon subscribers, but the good news is that we're pretty confident these two giants are in bed together for the long haul in one capacity or another.

[(Unverified) Posted Mar 9th 2009 2:34PM]

Nokia's 4G position might have not changed, but Olii-Pekka Kalashnikov's certainly has. Instead of giving, he's now receiving.

[(Unverified) Posted Mar 9th 2009 2:57PM]

Sure sign of a idiot, recurring lame joke of somebody's name.

Can we have one from S. Jandali?

[(Unverified) Posted Mar 9th 2009 3:01PM]

An Apple troll. What a surprise.

[Leo Posted Mar 9th 2009 5:27PM]

Afraid of competition, you little troll?

[(Unverified) Posted Mar 9th 2009 2:43PM]

Isn't LTE's data rollout two or three years after wimax?

LTE devices must still be in early, early development.

[munchies Posted Mar 9th 2009 2:57PM]

Don't worry, we weren't hanging. VZW would have fucked up and crippled whatever handset they would have come up with had there been an agreement.

[(Unverified) Posted Mar 9th 2009 3:01PM]

I always thought of the technologies as being rather dissimilar, maybe I just didn't look into them that much. I guess I kind of assumed that WiMAX was more of a hotspot sort of deal on a grand scale, and LTE was a continuation of cell technology.

[(Unverified) Posted Mar 9th 2009 3:16PM]

You were correct in that assumption.

[(Unverified) Posted Mar 9th 2009 3:18PM]

Sweet! It's a Monday and I was right, it should be a good week!

[(Unverified) Posted Mar 9th 2009 4:02PM]

YAY you! *dotheweirdfemaleorgayhandclappingthingyouknowwherethefingertipsdonttouch*

[(Unverified) Posted Mar 9th 2009 4:14PM]

@onlineforen
Wow *dotheallamericanthingwhereistickmymiddlefingerupatdouchebags*

[(Unverified) Posted Mar 9th 2009 9:18PM]

jerk

[(Unverified) Posted Mar 9th 2009 7:07PM]

Im curious to know what pricing/limitations are gonna be.

[(Unverified) Posted Mar 11th 2009 2:37AM]

i cant really tell if the article was sarcastic or not but thats an awfully harsh closing sentence