Nokia to Launch Lumia Windows Phone With China Mobile

Nokia will partner with China Mobile to launch a version of its new flagship Lumia smartphone tailored for the world's largest cellular market, the Finnish company said on Wednesday.

China Mobile, the biggest operator in the world with more than 700 million subscribers, will start selling the Lumia 920T, the first phone to be based on Microsoft's new Windows Phone 8 platform in China's third-generation (3G) network.

Nokia shares rose 6.1 percent in the early Helsinki trade. Successful sales of the latest Lumia 920 and 820 models are seen crucial for the company as it tries to reverse a decline in market share it has lost to Samsung and Apple .

Chinese telecom carriers have been engaged in intense price competition by offering cheap handset deals and data plans to try to attract higher-end 3G subscribers. China Mobile is the only telecom carrier in China without a contract with Apple to sell iPhones in the country.