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Nokia India looking beyond voice

CHENNAI: Nokia has decided to re-define its India strategy in the wake of a metamorphosis in the consumer profile. Though it is a producer of mobile handsets, the Finnish company is keen to position itself as a complete solution provider.

In a detailed presentation at a one-day media conference here on Wednesday, D. Shivakumar, Vice-President and Managing Director of Nokia India, however, said that “the mobile device will be the rock around which Nokia will build solutions.” In the Internet age, a consumer had also become 24 by 7. Asserting that the scope for ‘mass personalisation’ would re-define the mobile game played out in the country, the Nokia India head saw a ‘mine’ of opportunity in the solution sphere. “We are indeed looking beyond the voice,” he said. Nokia, he said, was looking at offering solutions in areas such as information, entertainment, communication, commercial and the like. He said Nokia would pursue a collaborative approach as it tried to “transform consumer experience.”

The company, in fact, also announced the imminent launch of a range of services across multiple uses of the mobile device. Messaging service, Nokia music store, gaming service and location-based service were among the slew of initiatives Nokia had lined up for its handset users.

Significantly, the mobile major also announced its rural focus in the wake of near saturation in the urban mobile market. Not surprisingly, it had chosen to piggy-ride on the micro-finance institutions to step up its rural foray. It had just signed up with SKS Microfinance, which has presence in 15 States.

Mr. Shivakumar also announced the proposed launch of Nokia Life Tools, comprising a range of services designed to consumers in small towns and urban areas. These services could range from providing info agriculture to helping to one to learn English and offering career guidance. “Mobility is not a digital divide. It is more a digital unifier,” he said.

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