Handset manufacturer HTC, which has set its eye on the share of 12 per cent in the market, is expanding its retail and service outlet network in the country.

“From just one per cent share about 16 months ago, we could increase the share to 6 per cent. We are now targeting 12 per cent share,” Faisal Siddiqui, President of South Asia of HTC, has said.

Faisal Siddiqui is in Hyderabad on Monday with regard to promote HTC’s One M9+ to the distributors and retailers.

Talking to reporters earlier, he refused to indicate a timeline to achieve the target of achieving the 12 per cent share. “We would like to achieve it soon,” he said.

The company, which sells phones upwards of Rs 10,000, would double the footprint to 400 cities by the end of the financial year from the present 150 cities. “We are taking a few initiatives to scale up sales. We are going to ramp up the distribution network to 20,000 outlets from 14,000 outlets. The number of service points too would go up to 500 from 300 centres in the next one year,” he said.

The firm, which is sponsoring KingsXI Punjab in the ongoing IPL cricket championship, is planning to continue its association with soccer again. “Soccer is gaining popularity in the country. We have sponsored a team last year. We would like to continue our association with ISL this year as well,” the HTC executive said.

The firm was the lead sponsor of the North East United FC during ISL last year.

He said the company had no immediate plan to manufacture the phones in India.

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