Idea expands its handset portfolio

Telecom service provider Idea (An Aditya Birla Group company) launched two new models to its handset portfolio with the launch of Idea Ultra+ and Idea FAB. This takes the strength of the mobile handset range by Idea to 19 models. The movecomes as a step towards offering affordable devices to foster mobile internet penetration in India's non-metro markets.

Idea entered the market in 2011 with its first handset model. The two latest models will be distributed physically in the circles where Idea has 3G presence and nationally via the operator's online partner Infibeam. The models will be available at the Idea stores and local retailers.

Idea's key 3G markets include Gujarat, Kerala, Andhra Pradesh and Maharashtra, which together contribute to 75 per cent of sales. An emerging market, reveals Sashi Shankar, Chief Marketing Officer, Idea Cellular is Punjab where the company has roped in 350,000 subscribers in the to months since its launch. Nationally, the telecom operator has 11.5 million 3G cutomers.

"What we have noticed in the handset sales is that of the 800,000 odd units sold till date, almost 70 per cent continue to be on our network, despite the fact that we are the only GSM handset providers in the telecom business," says Shankar. This, he says, gave further conviction to launch new models at this juncture.

Idea Ultra+ is a dual-SIM smartphonewith a Leather back finish priced at Rs 8,300. It has a 1.3 GHz Quadcore processor and 1GB RAM and enables video streaming, browsing,social networking and downloading. It comes with a 12.7 cms (5") screen, 8 mega-pixel and the 2000 mAh battery. The ODM partner for this model is Alcatel.

The FAB, priced at Rs 4999, offerssmooth 'swipe typing' feature, built in social networking apps, GPS, Wifi hotspot, Gorilla Glass, 3.2 MP camera with flash. Also adual-SIM smartphone, it is powered by a 1.2 GHz dual core processor and runs on Android Jelly Bean v4.2 OS. Idea has tied up with Taiwan based Compel as the ODM partner for this model.

The company has launched the models at select outlets across the country and based on the initial response, predicts sales in the range of 25,000 to 30,000 units over the next two months.