Nokia Says App Sales Jump By 70 Percent With Carrier Billing

About two weeks ago, there was a brouhaha over whether Nokia (NYSE: NOK) was actually going to support carrier billing when it launches the Ovi Store this month. Turned out that carrier billing was going to be supported in eight countries, just not at first in the U.S.

At EconSM today, Nokia’s VP of product management, George Linardos, illustrated just how important operator billing is….“When we start locally with credit card billing and then we move to operator billing, we see a 70 percent lift in sales literally over night.” Of course, that doesn’t exactly translate to 70 percent more revenues since you are giving a cut to the operator, too. “That means there’s a cut taken out,” he said.

As for whether a relationship with Verizon Wireless (NYSE: VZ) will be hammered out soon? Verizon Wireless’s Jennifer Byrne, director of Digital Media and Business Development, who was also on the panel, wouldn’t say. Bryne: “I can’t comment on any ongoing discussions, but I think the connections to multiple storefronts and multiple billing options is something we are working on.”

As for when Ovi Store will launch, Linardos was vague. “Very, very soon.”