Nokia’s about-to-be-re-released non-smart phone, dubbed the 3310 – which received rave treatment when shown off at this week’s Mobile World Congress in Barcelona – is unlikely to be released in Australia, it seems.
The reason is simple: none of the major telcos will still have the 2G networks it needs to operate. Telstra has already decommissioned its 2G mobile network, while both Vodafone and Optus plan to do likewise later this year.
“While we think many Australians will appreciate the nostalgic value of an updated 3310, we have retired our 2G service and so won’t be offering the phone,” a Telstra spokesperson told Yahoo7 Finance.
Nokia says the much-loved 3310, which sports a colourful casing and a front panel alphabetic keypad – see picture – will be sold in India and other emerging markets, where it says 2G networks are still working and expected to remain so for some years.
