3G flaw causes Nokia to pull 5800

Not a good start in US market

Nokia has been embarrassed by a 3G connection problem with its 5800

Nokia has stopped the sale of its 5800 handset in the US, following problems with 3G connections.

Less than a week after its launch, Nokia has withdrawn its first touch-screen phone after users complained of problems accessing 3G networks. Other users have also found that the earphones were not sealed properly and were taking in moisture from the ear.

Nokia said in a statement that the issue was "a very isolated problem concerning only the North American market and is not specific to any other region or country".

"Nokia is investigating the issue. Existing customers of the 5800 XpressMusic who experience 3G signal issue with the device are advised to contact Nokia Customer Care."

Users are reporting that, while they can connect to AT&T's GSM (2G) and Edge networks, 3G connections are proving more difficult.

The company has said that the faulty earpiece problem has been fixed and a new supplier found. Nokia has also claimed that any handset bought after January 2009 should not suffer from these problems.

The move will be embarrassing for Nokia, which is looking to challenge the popularity of Apple's iPhone in the US market. The company was once the market leader in North America, but is now languishing in fifth place, behind Samsung, Motorola, LG and RIM.