Analysts from Merrill Lynch had a visit to India and came back with some interesting observations about the local market. Focusing on the handset side of the industry, India is almost unique in that most handsets are sold by retailers which are not affiliated with the network operators. The network operator sells the GSM SIM card and connection, and then the customer purchases an unsubsidized handset from a 3rd party retailer.
Amazingly, Nokia has managed to corner a staggering 75-80% of the market thanks to an early decision to rapidly roll-out retail distribution deals as the networks themselves expanded their coverage.
Of the estimated 79,000 retail outlets in India selling mobile phones, Nokia has a presence in 72,000 of them.
Nokia also benefits from a perception of providing sturdy phones that have a good resale price on the second-hand market. As such, Nokia continues to see strong demand for its low-end candy bar phones, which are known for their quality and durability.
Source: cellular-news
What can I say? Way to go! Nokia, as well as all the other mobile phone manufacturers need to start educating the consumers about SIM cards, how they work, and what phones are available for purchase. I’ve seen far too many people switch from/to T-Mobile, Cingular, and the former AT&T just because that carrier offers a phone they like. India has it right!
Not to mention they like the old school candy bar Nokias. I still own one of those battle ready tanks. Ah memories of 1 week battery life time.