Akai enters Indian mobile mkt, launches 10 handsets

Akai India today forayed into the Indian mobile market with the launch of ten new handsets with a price tag between Rs 1,800 and Rs 8,000.

The range will appeal to consumers across all segments, with a special focus on the youth, and are currently available across 8,000 retail outlets in the country. The company plans to ramp up the number of retail outlets to 20,000 by end-September, 2010, the company said here.

The company will import the handsets from Akai's factory and from Europe.

"We have introduced a range of phones that will cater to the requirements of all segments of consumers across categories. We hope to become a prominent player in the Rs 70,000 crore mobile handset market in the coming years," Akai India Managing Director Pranay Dhabhai said.

Asked about Akai's plans to enter other business verticals, Dhabhai said, "We are looking into other verticals like inverters, netbooks, accessories for mobile phones (and) fixed line wireless phones."

In the basic models, the company has offered features like a Dual Sim, long-lasting battery and large high resolution QVGA screen, while the high-end models include a full touch 3-D user interface, wi-fi, wireless FM with recording, compatibility with social networking sites and e-book compatibility.

The company will launch 3G models by the end of this year, Dhabhai said, adding that its handsets are undergoing trials.

On sales of the company's headsets, Dhabhai said, "Sales from next month, that is, October, are expected to be a lakh per month and by the end of first year of our operations, we expect to have 3 per cent of the total mobile market share."

Akai will make a significant initial investment for setting up the back-end infrastructure for its mobile models and will set up a Level 4 service centre in Gurgaon for repairing mobiles.

"In Gurgaon, we are looking for a centre to repair mobile chip with an investment of about Rs 5 crore to Rs 10 crore. It is in the planning stage. By early next year," Dhabhai added.

The company sees after-service as an area that is not focused on by local brands and has invested heavily in setting up a complete service network across India.

The company has 465 service centres across the length and breadth of the country, of which 218 service centres are dedicated for mobile phone back-up services, right from basic servicing to component level repairs.