HELSINKI -- Nokia's uptick in cellphone sales -- the company shipped a reported 107 million units last quarter, more than the next three competitors combined -- is good news for contract assemblers as the phone OEM says it will start to outsource some assembly later this year.

While filling its own factories comes first, the improving market could lead to some outsourcing, a company spokesperson told Reuters.

Nokia announced last July it would bring all its electronics assembly production in house as falling demand created excess capacity at its factories.

Foxconn, BYD, Jabil and Elcoteq were Nokia's primary EMS suppliers. Nokia outsourced 17% of its manufacturing in 2008.