Chinese mobiles storm Punjab

After flooding the market with cycles, electrical items, sewing machines, furniture and garments, Chinese companies have floated new, chic and cheap mobile phones in Punjab to tap the growing business.

Despite quality-related apprehensions, buyers are finding these phones an attractive option and sellers are making good money from them. To be consumer-friendly and winning buyers faith, these companies are offering one year warranty as well on these mobile phones.

Over 150 models of mobile phones, bearing 'made in China' tag, have entered the Punjab market and most of them offer a wide variety of features that were so far available only in high-end phones here.

A Ludhiana-based mobile phone dealer said, "In merely Rs 6,500 I have got a handset that has camera, can insert two SIM cards in it, apart from other features like video games, radio, bluetooth. Similar features in any other mobile phone would have costed around Rs 25,000 to Rs 30,000."

Ranging from Rs 3,000 to Rs 12,000, even the entry-level models are equipped with cameras, gaming and other high-tech features. Phone users are finding the designs attractive. Among the popular models, the ones that can open vertically and horizontally, have a camera that can click pictures from both sides are favourites.

Another dealer said the phone that costs Rs 8,000 catches television channels too. "The models launched in the market are at par with those branded mobile phones that cost around Rs 20,000 to Rs 40,000."

Surinder Kumar, another mobile phone dealer at Ghumar Mandi in Ludhiana, has a different opinion. "No doubt these phones have caught the fancy of the general public, but there is no comparison with the brands like Nokia, Sony and other such companies."