Handset biz deal with Microsoft may close by month end: Nokia
21 April 2014 2:58 AM IST
‘Nokia currently expects to complete the sale of its Devices & Services business to Microsoft in April 2014,’ Nokia's Vice President for Chief Ethics and Compliance Officer Chad Fentress and Microsoft's Chief Privacy Officer Brendon Lynch said in a joint notice to consumers on Saturday.
Last September, Nokia had announced it would sell a substantial part of its devices and services (D&S) business, including assets in India, to Microsoft for USD 7.2 billion by March 2014.
The handset and other asset components under the deal will be handed over to Microsoft's Finnish entity Microsoft Mobile Oy.Nokia is entangled in tax dispute with Indian authorities over its Chennai handset manufacturing plant which employs about 6,600 people.The company has often indicated that transfer of Chennai plant with over all Nokia handset business may be adversely impacted if the dispute remains unresolved.
Recently the company offered voluntary retirement scheme (VRS) to its employees in Chennai and about 700 employees till date are learnt to have opted for it. Nokia India spokesperson, however, declined to confirm the number. However, there have also been reports of Finnish phone maker forcing its Chennai plant workers to take up VRS.
‘There are about 8,000 workers employed at the Sriperumbudur Nokia facility, which has been scaling down its operations and announced VRS for the workforce. But the management compelling the workers to accept the scheme has enraged them’, a leader from the employees union had said on the condition of anonymity. Soon after this news, Nokia India management had to issue a statement with the claim that they are not forcing their employees to embrace VRS and it is absolutely voluntary on part of employees. The acquisition notice was issued by both the companies to assure consumers that data protection and privacy would be maintained under Microsoft as was done by Nokia.
‘Microsoft cares deeply about your privacy and the protection of your personal data and will continue to collect and use your personal data in the same ways and for the same reasons as Nokia, and you should experience no difference as a result of the sale,’ the notice said.
Last September, Nokia had announced it would sell a substantial part of its devices and services (D&S) business, including assets in India, to Microsoft for USD 7.2 billion by March 2014.
The handset and other asset components under the deal will be handed over to Microsoft's Finnish entity Microsoft Mobile Oy.Nokia is entangled in tax dispute with Indian authorities over its Chennai handset manufacturing plant which employs about 6,600 people.The company has often indicated that transfer of Chennai plant with over all Nokia handset business may be adversely impacted if the dispute remains unresolved.
Recently the company offered voluntary retirement scheme (VRS) to its employees in Chennai and about 700 employees till date are learnt to have opted for it. Nokia India spokesperson, however, declined to confirm the number. However, there have also been reports of Finnish phone maker forcing its Chennai plant workers to take up VRS.
‘There are about 8,000 workers employed at the Sriperumbudur Nokia facility, which has been scaling down its operations and announced VRS for the workforce. But the management compelling the workers to accept the scheme has enraged them’, a leader from the employees union had said on the condition of anonymity. Soon after this news, Nokia India management had to issue a statement with the claim that they are not forcing their employees to embrace VRS and it is absolutely voluntary on part of employees. The acquisition notice was issued by both the companies to assure consumers that data protection and privacy would be maintained under Microsoft as was done by Nokia.
‘Microsoft cares deeply about your privacy and the protection of your personal data and will continue to collect and use your personal data in the same ways and for the same reasons as Nokia, and you should experience no difference as a result of the sale,’ the notice said.
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