 Though, ZTE Corporation has also been quite active and visible as a mobile phone OEM (Original Equipment Manufacturer) for many mobile operators in India as well, the company has taken the decision for launching its own (ZTE) brand of handsets in the Indian market. As the country has been moving on a rapid mobile telephony trajectory, the timing of the entry of ZTE into the open market with its own-brand of handsets looks meritorious.
The company has announced that it has introduced mobile phones under the ZTE brand name in the Indian retail market. The company has launched a range of five cost effective feature laden GSM handsets – Models S315, A261, R220, R230 and R230BT at price points ranging from Rs. 1,100 to Rs. 3,800 to mark its retail foray. With the entry in the retail handset market in India, ZTE is looking at furthering the contribution of the Indian market to its global handset sales from the existing 16 per cent to 20 per cent, besides substantially increasing its existing handset market share in India.
In order to establish a strong retail distribution network, the company has appointed Overseas Mobiles Private Ltd as its national distributor for mobile and data devices. The newly appointed distie (Overseas Mobiles) will be appointing 80 regional distributors across India and manage relationships with distributors and corporate customers on behalf of ZTE. They will also be responsible for ensuring nationwide distribution coverage for ZTE’s range of GSM and CDMA handsets and data products, besides managing below-the-line activities including promotions at retail outlets. ZTE is targeting to have a network of 100,000 retail outlets in India by this year-end.
“One of the largest handset manufacturers in the world, we, at ZTE, have already sold over 20 million handsets in India through partnerships with various telecom operators. We also have one of the strongest after-sales service network with over 250 service centers across the country. India is a key focus market for us and we are delighted to launch ZTE branded handsets in the retail market as this would play a critical role in furthering our existing market-share in the country”, said Dr. DK Ghosh, Chairman & MD, ZTE India. “ZTE is focused on providing great products at competitive pricing to Indian consumers and we will seek to provide them with a much larger choice by introducing handsets across segments in the coming days. Together, with Overseas Mobiles Private Limited, we will make a difference in one of the fastest growing telecom markets in the world”, added he.
“We’re proud to be a partner of ZTE Corporation and deeply humbled by ZTE’s decision to appoint Overseas Mobiles Private Limited as the national distributor for India and look forward to a mutually successful relationship”, said Arshit Pathak, Director, Overseas Mobiles Pvt Ltd.
With global sales of over 100 million handsets last year, ZTE is currently the sixth largest handset manufacturer in the world and is now focusing on becoming one of the top five global phone makers within the next five years. Over the last seven years, ZTE has transformed into one of the most formidable phone manufacturers in China as well as the international market. To sustain the momentum and keep pace with stiff competition in the global handset arena, ZTE adopted the handset business strategy from 2005 and opted to collaborate with global telecom carriers and service providers to further expand its global reach.
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