Motorola plans to sell products via post offices

The US-based global telecommunications major Motorola is plans to sell products and services through a wide network of 1.35 lakh post offices to target the remotest locales in the country.

Motorola India Chairman Firdose Vandrevala said distribution was one of the most difficult aspects in selling equipment and services in the country and the company was looking at unconventional ways of selling its products in the country.

"Apart from vendors and carriers, there is a need for a third- party to help us reach the remotest locations in the country. Looking at India as a mass market, we need someone to distribute handsets and services locally, and also for bill collection," Vandrevala said. This initiative of Motorola is in line with its earlier signing up of ITC's e-choupals and DCM Hariyalli.

"This is only in the planning stage, and we are yet to begin significant talks with the government. The idea has been mooted, and now we have to set the ball rolling," he said.

Motorola would look at selling its handsets, set-top boxes and recharge vouchers through post offices. Although it does not sell telephony services, the company is planning to tie up with service providers and enter into a bundling agreement.

If the proposal goes through, this could be a win-win situation for both the postal department and Motorola. For the postal department, this means additional revenues and that too at a time when its conventional revenues are drying up because of the spread of internet and e-mail. This will ensure that the department's revenues continue to trickle in.