“Hooray!” say the 11 or so people who might buy one.

Yeah, it’s not exactly the ballyhoo we heard when Verizon announced it would support the iPhone but if you’re Microsoft and trying to get the Windows Phone in the game, you’ll take what you can get. Big Red says it will offer a Nokia phone running the mobile version of Windows 8 this year. The operating system is officially on the street starting in late October.

It’s a bit of back-to-the-drawing-board for Microsoft and Verizon, says Bloomberg:

Verizon released its only current Windows Phone, the Trophy from HTC Corp., more than a year ago, and it hasn’t been a top seller. Microsoft and Verizon also stumbled with the 2010 release of the Kin phone, which was scrapped after less than two months in Verizon stores. While that experience strained relations, the companies have made strides in improving the partnership since then, the person said.

Also, who is that person? Another “person with knowledge of the matter” who goes on and on about how this will all work. There’s going to be a Nokia-Microsoft press event on September 5th.

Here’s the part I love:

While Verizon isn’t expected to be part of that event, the carrier intends to roll out a Nokia phone later, said the person, who asked not to be named because the plans are private.

Not private ENOUGH, mind you, to stop person with knowledge of the matter from prattling on and on.