Software glitch bugs Nokia Lumia 900 users

Nokia Lumia 400

The US launch of Nokia's Lumia 900 smartphone has been hit by a software glitch that stops users from accessing the internet.

The company used its Nokia Conversations blog to confirm the issue, which has prevented some Lumia 900 users from establishing a data connection.

The device went on sale in the US three days ago.

This issue is purely in the phone software, and is not related to either phone hardware or the network itself.

"In short, a memory management issue was discovered that could, in some cases, lead to loss of data connectivity," said Nokia US president Chris Weber. "This issue is purely in the phone software, and is not related to either phone hardware or the network itself.

"As a proactive and prudent measure, we decided to take immediate action. We have identified the issue, and have developed a solution," he continued.

An update to the phone is scheduled for next Monday, ahead of the Lumia 900's UK launch on 27 April. It is expected the bug will not affect devices sold in this country.

Affected customers have been offered a $100 credit on their AT&T bill. Nokia is also giving users the option of exchanging their devices for a new Lumia 900.

Nokia failed to give any details about the scope of the problem or the number of users affected.

The Finnish phone company launched the Lumia 800 in Europe last November. The Lumia 900 sports a bigger display and 4G connectivity.

The company hopes the new phones will position them as a viable alternative to Apple's iPhone and Google's Android handsets.

Rene Millman

Rene Millman is a freelance writer and broadcaster who covers cybersecurity, AI, IoT, and the cloud. He also works as a contributing analyst at GigaOm and has previously worked as an analyst for Gartner covering the infrastructure market. He has made numerous television appearances to give his views and expertise on technology trends and companies that affect and shape our lives. You can follow Rene Millman on Twitter.