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BANGALORE: India’s first cellular operator, Spice Ltd., now part of M Corp Global, has rolled out mobile phones in the State.
The company also has plans to start manufacturing mobile phones in India, early 2007, by expanding its existing computer facility.
Speaking at the launch here in Bangalore, Kunal Ahooja, CEO, Spice Ltd., said, “Currently, the manufacturing is outsourced to Taiwan, but we plan to start manufacturing phones in India by early 2007.”
Spice has launched four new models – S 500, S 404, S 600 and S 555, staring from a price range of Rs 2500 – Rs 5800.
Targeting mainly the entry-level market, Spice is using the “customized to India” pitch as its USP. Customisation involves desi ringtones, louder ringtones for noisy streets and monochrome finish. While the entry-level phones boast of an embedded speaker, the high-end models feature higher memory and MP3 players.
By May, this year, Spice plans to roll out ten models altogether and that includes a cameraphone and FM radio.
The company has sold about 50,000 phones in the last few months after its launch in North Indian states. “We hope to double that number by June ‘06”, said K Muzaffar, Head- Sales, Spice Ltd. “We are targeting 10 percent market share in five years”, added Muzaffar.
To achieve this target, Spice plans to set up 2000 retail outlets in eighteen districts of Karnataka. The company is also ensuring that an operational service center is in place before launching the phones in each State.
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