From what ive read, carrier relationships in the US have never flourished because of Nokia's unwillingness to cripple the phone at the carriers behest. The E71x so crippled its not funny from what ive heard and a pointless exercise for Nokia if they want to be a services company.

What i imagine Nokia might be doing is making their devices so appealing to the consumer that the carriers will have to capitulate in the end because if they dont, a small carrier be happy to run the devices as Nokia intended and risk losing market share.