Microsoft is in the middle of a major cost-cutting effort that includes the layoff of thousands of workers across the world, but according to new reports, it turns out that the company is also shutting down some Nokia Care Points across Europe too.

Microsoft purchased Nokia last year and is now planning to write off $7.6 billion from the deal, and the plan to reduce costs following the acquisition also includes getting rid of some of the assets belonging to the Finnish phone maker and purchased as part of the takeover.

WPWorld.pl now reports that Nokia Care Points in Poland and other European countries are being closed by Microsoft, and local staff was informed about this decision in late June.

While there's no confirmation from Microsoft about such a cost-saving measure, seeing the company shut down Nokia Care Points is not at all surprising, especially because it's rethinking its mobile phone strategy, and having so many service centers across Europe might not make sense.
Shutting down in September

Nokia Care Points were dedicated centers for quick repairs on Nokia phones, and with Microsoft changing plans and focusing on a strategy that involves fewer phones, such a network would only affect long-term revenues.

According to the source, Nokia Care Points received a 3-month notice before being completely shut down, so they could all close their doors in September. Right now, it's not yet clear whether the company has very same plans for all Nokia Care Points on the Old Continent, but for the moment, it turns out that those in Poland and some other locations in Western Europe are affected.

After the Nokia deal, Microsoft fired more than 25,000 people, most of them former workers at the Finnish phone maker, and is now rethinking its mobile efforts to focus on a maximum of six phones that would be upgraded on a yearly basis.

Microsoft will launch phones in three categories, namely value, business, and flagship, and sources claim that one or two models in each category will be launched every year.