Strategy Analytics: Ultra Low-Cost Handset Surge in China & India Sales to Reach 300 Million by 2013

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Wed May 27, 2009 10:49am EDT

BOSTON--(Business Wire)--
Ultra low-cost handsets (ULCH) - those selling for $35 or less - will determine
the success of operators and vendors in emerging markets, according to "ULCH- A
Key to Success for Vendors and Operators in Emerging
Marketshttp://tinyurl.com/pr00728," a report from the Strategy Analytics
Emerging Markets Communications Strategies service. More than half of the 300
million ULCH expected to be sold in 2013 will go to emerging markets, with China
and India playing a crucial role in driving the growth.

Between 2007 and 2013, the ULCH share of global handset sales will triple, as
operators try to attract new users. "Emerging markets have a huge untapped
population," says Rahul Gupta, Manager, Emerging Markets, and author of the
report. "But it`s a population with limited spending power. A low-cost handset
has to be part of the strategy of any operator or handset vendor trying to get a
piece of this market." 

"The most important issue for operators seeking to benefit from low-cost handset
development is to choose suppliers who have global scale in purchasing, product
design and brand," added Chris Ambrosio, Executive Director of the Strategy
Analytics Global Wireless Practice. 

This report also points out that low-cost alone is not sufficient; and the need
to provide a limited set of rich applications, such as embedded gaming and FM
radio, along with the expansion of distribution and service networks into rural
areas, compounds the challenges that operators and device vendors have in
developing ULCH offerings. 

About Strategy Analytics

Strategy Analytics, Inc. provides timely and actionable market intelligence
focused on opportunities and disruptive forces in the areas of Automotive
Electronics and Entertainment, Broadband Connected Home, Mobile & Wireless
Intelligent Systems and Virtual Worlds. Headquartered in Boston, MA, with
offices in the UK, France, Germany, Japan, S. Korea and China, Strategy
Analytics works with clients through annual multi-client services, management
team workshops and custom consulting engagements. For more information, please
visit http://www.strategyanalytics.com/





Strategy Analytics, Inc.
Asia Contact:
Rahul Gupta, +91 98714 22033
rgupta@strategyanalytics.com
or
US Contact:
Tom Elliott, +1 617-614-0703
telliott@strategyanalytics.com

Copyright Business Wire 2009

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