Nokia says Windows Phone excellent start in Britain

REUTERS - Nokia said sales of its first Windows Phone model, the Lumia 800, were off to an excellent start in Britain, dismissing analyst comments of weak sales start, which have hit shares in the Finnish company.

"Lumia 800 sales in the U.K. are off to an excellent start," Nokia said in a statement. "Based on earliest data the sales start of the Lumia 800 is the best ever first week of Nokia smartphone sales in the U.K. in recent history."

Nokia unveiled a strategy shift to use Microsoft software on its smartphones in February in a bid to create a rival to Apple and Google's Android, and started to sell its first model last week in Britain, France and Germany.

"By our measures, we have gained significant smartphone sell-out share in the channels in which we are operating in the U.K.," Nokia said.

(Reporting By Tarmo Virki)