Nokia has always done well sales wise with its cheaper handsets around the world, but has seen its smartphone market share disappear and is looking to improve things with its push with the Windows Phone platform. Today we have news of one of its cheaper offerings with the Nokia Lumia 610, which will be releasing shortly in the UK and will be free.

Nokia will use the handset to compete with the cheaper options that are already available on the Android platform, and according to The Telegraph the handset will launch in the UK during the first week of next month. The Lumia 610 will be the cheapest Windows Phone offering from Nokia, and that is represented with the low-end specifications of the device.

The handset will not feature Skype that is now owned by Microsoft, as the software requires 512MB of memory, while the Lumia 610 only has 256MB. Other features of the device include a 3.7-inch WVGA screen with 8GB of on board storage. It does run the Windows Phone 7.5 operating system though that provides users with Nokia’s own Drive, Maps, and Music applications.

Nokia’s ever expanding Lumia range already includes besides this handset the 710, 800, and the 900, and the Lumia 800 was the flagship handset when Nokia first launched its first batch of Windows Phone handsets. It seems Nokia is looking to provide consumers a cheaper alternative rather than just taking on the likes of the iPhone and Samsung Galaxy S3.

The company has also enjoyed growth in emerging markets such as China and India which are areas that the likes of BlackBerry maker RIM still find attractive, but companies that provide lower price Android smartphones will also be looking to such regions for extra sales. It is thought the device will be available with no upfront cost on a two year contract costing around £15 per month.