BPL Sanyo to launch 'desi' handsets

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: BPL-Sanyo is planning to launch its range of cellular phones in India, which the company touts as perhaps the first `desi' brand. According to BPL Group Chairman TPG Nambiar, the BPL group has already manufactured 10,000 handsets that are being tested and used in Mumbai, Pune, Coimbatore and Kochi among other cities.

In a press meet at Thiruvananthapuram, Nambiar said that the new mobile phone production unit of BPL Telecom Ltd is located at Palakad where it already has a communication product manufacturing facility. Initially, BPL would only be manufacturing GSM Mobile phones and in due course might produce CDMA handsets also.

"We are satisfied with the result of the test marketing so far," he said and added that it would not be a cheap product but compete with existing brands on price and quality fronts.

Regarding the cellular services market, he informed that BPL has achieved 75 percent growth in Kerala and 150 percent in Tamil Nadu, but the company has not been able to do justice to the market by investing more on infrastructure. Attributing this to lack of funds, Nambiar informed that the company is planning to raise funds for infrastructure development. It has earmarked Rs 150 crore for expansion, which includes that of cellular services in various circles.

"Kerala is one cellular market that requires expansion on the infrastructure front," he added.

Nambiar said that the company’s PC manufacturing business in Palakad is not doing well and in the long run he doesn't expect major changes to happen in this segment.

(CNS)