The Hindu : Business : Motorola unveils new mobile

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Friday, Dec 23, 2005

Business

Business

Motorola unveils new mobile

Special Correspondent

Hopes to regain its position with the sub Rs. 2,000 phone launch

NEW DELHI: Motorola on Thursday launched a sub Rs. 2,000 mobile phone in order to spread its business to the hinterlands of the country and among the middle-income category people in the cities.

Motorola was among the early entrants to the Indian mobile scene with its radio pagers and had even taken equity in an operating company. But the onset of the mobile phone revolution saw it falling behind other companies, notably the Finnish major, Nokia.

The company is hoping to regain its position with the launch of the new phone.

Speaking at the launch ceremony in an unusual setting, the Motorola India Chief, Phiroz Vandrewala, objected to the word "low cost'' to describe the new phone called C-115. The phone had all the features of other phones, was ergonomic and had quality. But it was directed at the mass market.

In attendance on the lawns of a hotel here were an autorickshaw driver, a cycle-rickshawallah, a nurse, a primary school teacher and a pan shop owner, all with their tools of trade.

"India is not just the metros and we realise that and intend moving beyond that,'' observed Mr. Vandrewala. The sub-Rs. 2,000 phone, he hoped, would encourage more people to take to mobile telephony.

Mobile phone service provider, Hutch, is expected to be the first company to bundle the sales of these phones with its connections. The company has recently placed a bulk order with Motorola for the C-115 phone.

The Union Communications and Information Technology Minister, Dayanidhi Maran, asked Motorola to further bring down the cost to below Rs. 1,000. Presenting the phones to the segments of the society represented at the launch ceremony, Mr. Maran appreciated the lead taken by the U.S.-based company and hoped other companies would follow suit to help India meet the target of 25 crore phones. Mr. Vandrewala said the company was in the process of finalising a location for setting up a manufacturing facility and Chennai was among the cities being considered in south India.

Printer friendly page
Send this article to Friends by E-Mail

Business