A Nokia spokesperson today re-affirmed that the company is looking to enter into the smartphone business as soon as its agreement with Microsoft allows it do so.

However, the company is looking for a “world-class” partner to help it re-enter the competitive smartphone market. The partner will have to manufacture, market and sell devices to end customers on behalf of Nokia.

Nokia spokesman Brett Young said Tuesday the “right path back to mobile phones … is through a licensing brand.”

Don’t expect Nokia to enter the smartphone market anytime soon though. The agreement with Microsoft states that the company could only enter the smartphone market on or after the last quarter of 2016. This does give Nokia ample time to find a partner that will be interested in making, promoting and selling devices on its behalf.

Nokia had teamed up with Foxconn for its first Android tablet — the N1. While the tablet carried the Nokia brand, it was by all means produced, marketed and sold by Foxconn. Perhaps, this was also a major reason why the tablet never went on sale in markets outside of China.