LG launches CDMA product range in India

NEW DELHI: LG Mobile Handset Company, a CDMA terminal manufacturer, has unveiled its product range for CDMA mobile phones for the Indian market. Themed ‘Expression Completed’, these handsets have been developed and manufactured in Korea and would target the premium segment of the Indian market.

The product range would be available in the market through the service providers and includes three CDMA handset models on 3G1x platform — DM 160, basic tier model, which is voice centric and supports SMS. RD2030 is a fashionable, sleek and slim bar-type handset with wide-screen, blue LCD backlighting with 16 poly sound. RD7130 offers features such as Organics Electro Luminescence, 65,000 color TFD LCD, 12 line display with 40 poly sounds.

Targeted at the premium segment the handset models would be available at the service provider outlets. A marketing budget of $ 5 million has been earmarked for these handsets in Indian and the company has planned mainline, on-the-ground and below the line marketing activities to build and promote the LG CDMA brand in India.

In India, LG has been chosen as the major CDMA terminal supplier to Reliance Infocomm. This is in addition to more than 6,00,000 terminals already supplied to MTNL, BSNL and Tata. LG would be supplying its basic model — DM120 to Tata for its WLL services. Today, the LG handset business (CDMA and GSM) is ranked sixth in the world with a market share of 4.4 percent (Q3, 2002). LG expects total sales of approximately 14 million handsets during 2002.

Speaking on the launch, KK Kushwaha, Vice President,, LG CDMA Terminal India, "LG is targeting to achieve the number one position in the CDMA market in India. With our global leadership position our R&D investment and expertise and the depth of our experience in this segment, we are confident of playing a major role in CDMA Terminals business. We are on the threshold of a huge explosion in WLL mobility in India and look forward to offering 3G 1x handsets to the Indian customers that will change the face of telecommunication in the country."