Nokia hopes to launch at least six to twelve new mobile phones customised for North American operators in 2008, up from three in 2007. “You’ll see some of that in the first half of 2008, with the velocity to increase in the second half and going full steam ahead in 2009,” Mark Louison, President of the company’s North American business, told Reuters.

Although the vendor leads the global mobile phone market, it has an 11% market share in the US. Motorola, ranked No. 3 globally, was the US leader, with a 33% share of the market in Q3, according to Strategy Analytics. Nokia’s biggest customers in the region are market leader AT&T and fourth ranked T-Mobile USA, both of which run networks based on GSM technology. Nokia said it will also have customised phones this year for CDMA operator Verizon Wireless.