Nokia to strengthen focus on rural India

Nokia to strengthen focus on rural India

The company is strengthening its distribution strategy and introducing latest devices and bundling schemes

Jatinder Singh

Tuesday, May 12, 2009

NEW DELHI, INDIA: Handset major Nokia is eying rural India to further increase its market share in FY 2009-10. The company is working on several innovative business models to reach rural areas in an effective manner.

“Rural India is a big opportunity for us. We have a dedicated team with core focus on rural India which is working efficiently to address the needs of customers. We have got excellent feedback for our rural-centric handsets and services,” says Vipul Sabharwal, director - sales, Nokia India.

India has been an astonishing success story for Nokia. The company has made significant progress and emerged as a major gainsayer in Indian handset market.

The company is excited about 3G services and planning for significant sum of investment in FY2009-10.

“We have expended our distribution channel by over 40 per cent last year and have more plans to increase the same. We are expecting a double-digit growth in this sector and the key focus will be to cover villages with a population of 3000 and above,” adds Sabharwal.

At present, Nokia is leading the market and introducing new Internet services and affordable devices specifically tailored for Indian customers. It has also partnered with key operators to deploy mobile vans in rural villages.

“These co-branded vans are to educate consumers on the impact of mobility on their lives, new bundled offers and product features/experiences,” commented Sabharwal. In addition, it is also planning to introduce Nokia Life tools in more handsets from this financial year.

The pilot program of Nokia Life Tools in India was launched in December 2008, with services in agriculture, learn English, general knowledge and astrology. During the pilot phase, the services were available in the Nokia 2600 classic and the Nokia 1680 mobile phones.

The services are targeted towards rural and small-town communities, providing timely and relevant information as per the needs.

©Source: Voice&Data

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