Leading mobile handset maker Nokia today said dual-SIM phones were getting more popular in non-metro centres and smaller towns.
“Although the demands for dual-SIM phones are coming from all market segments, the demand in Tier-II and smaller centres is more pronounced compared to metros and large cities,” Nokia India regional general manager Nabendu Ray told Business Standard here.
He said there could be several reasons for the phenomenon, including network glitches in smaller centres and also the affordability factor, since mobile phone subscribers generally could afford different handsets.
Ray was in town to launch Nokia’s two new dual SIM phones in the Uttar Pradesh market namely C2-00 and X1-01, which carry price tags of under Rs 3,000 and Rs 2,000, respectively. These phones had already been launched in the Chennai and Delhi markets. “The new models would be subsequently launched in other markets as well,” he added.
The two phones have been manufactured in India at the company’s Chennai plant. While C2-00 offers easy swap function for two SIMs and offering internet browsing, X1-01 is more affordable and offers various entertainment features.
He said the phones had been launched taking into account customer feedback and requirements. The handsets remember settings for up to five separate SIM cards.
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Nokia has a network of about 2,00,000 retailers and 800 care centres pan-India. ‘We are in the process of upgrading our customer service network,” he informed.
At present, Nokia’s product portfolio has 40 odd handset models, which carry price tags ranging from under Rs 1,000 to Rs 30,000.
“We will be launching more dual SIM phones in the near future, including in a more premium segment,” Ray said.