Alcatel Launches 3 new Handsets

Alcatel has launched the One Touch 311, 511 and 512 entry-level handsets in India from its global stable. It has also appointed Agrani Convergence as their sole national distributor. Alcatel handsets will also be available at the Agrani Switch retail outlets spread across the country. Mohit Kapoor, country manager, mobile phones division, South West Asia, Alcatel informed in a media briefing that Alcatel had segmented the mobile phone market into categories ranging from A to D, based on consumer requirements. "We have a value-for-money product, which would cater to a higher consumer requirement but be priced a category lower," Kapoor said. But given the fact that the mobile handset market in India has already taken off, with the Samsungs and the Nokias of the world leading the reel, where does a late entrant like Alcatel feature? Answered Kapoor, "Our handsets have been available in the market for quite some time now. With Agrani, penetration is expected to move north. We are numero uno in Sri Lanka and within the top three players elsewhere, as far as the southwest Asia market is concerned. In India also it should be a matter of time when we will be in the top three slots. We are looking at clinching five percent of the legal handset market by next year. By the middle of next year it should be 7.5 per cent." 

"Pricing has been deliberately kept low. We have to understand that the Grey market is tremendously active in India. We have had instances of handsets traditionally bundled for the European market, somehow de-coded and de-bundled and landing up in India. And selling at lower prices than the Alcatel handsets currently available the prim and proper way. Our marketing strategy is therefore to decrease the price differential between the Grey and the legal market, thereby making much more sense for the consumer to go in for a Alcatel product, at a price slightly higher than the Grey market variants," he said. Kapoor added that another handset launch was scheduled for mid November, but refused to divulge specifics. 

One Touch 311: One Touch Messaging, Speakerphone, Vibrator Mode, Customizing Options and Changeable front panels. Price — Rs 3,495

One Touch 511: EMS, Weighs 75 g, Polyphonic tunes and recordable melodies, Voice Recognition, Voice Memo and Games. Price — Rs 9,995

One Touch 512: EMS, Weighs 75 g, Polyphonic tunes and recordable melodies, Voice Recognition, Voice Memo, Games, White blue backlight and Phone directory of up to 250 numbers. Price — Rs 10,995

(CNS)