Kyocera, Brightstar to supply RIM phones

Taking cue from Nokia, which supplies its CDMA handsets directly to the operator's outlets, dealers and showrooms, Kyocera has tied up with Brightstar, the world's biggest handset distributor which recently set shop in India, to deliver its phones directly to Reliance retailers.

The agreement, which will mark the beginning of Kyocera's venture, will see Brightstar being appointed as the company's north and east Indian representative.

"India is a critical growth market for Kyocera, as well as an important centre for research and development," said Patrick Costello, International Sales Manager for Asia-Pacific at Kyocera Wireless.

"With the support of our partners, along with our own in-country end-to-end research, design, engineering, marketing, we aim to become one of the top three CDMA brands within the next year."

Our distribution partnership with Brightstar, and their support of the Reliance network, will enable Indian consumers to get faster, reliable access to our products and greatly contribute towards our success in the market."

Kyocera, one of the world's biggest manufacturers of CDMA handsets, has found the going tough in India despite being one of the earliest movers into the market on BSNL and MTNL platforms, largely due to image problems associated with its initial low-end models and lack of brand recognition.

The company has however renewed its efforts in this regard, the new line-up including a swivel phone with a high-end 1.2 megapixel camera costing around Rs 14,500.