Sistema Shyam TeleServices (SSTL), offering telecom services under the brand “MTS”, is eyeing tie-ups with handset-makers such as Samsung and Micromax for mid-range smartphones.
Smartphones will be priced between Rs 4,000 and Rs 10,000.
MTS operates in the CDMA segment in nine telecom circles. Apart from voice, its data offerings are through data cards and dongles. Its average revenue per user is around Rs 100.
According to Sandeep Marwaha, Chief Operating Officer, Kolkata & West Bengal, new launches across different price points are expected during the year.
“We are in talks with several handset makers and there will be a slew of launches during the year, both nationally and in the region. New launches will focus on a variety of price points,” Marwaha said on the sidelines of the launch of MTS’ new dual SIM handset. The handset has one CDMA and another GSM SIM slot.
According to him, the company is also in talks with local manufacturers for co-branding of low and mid-end handsets.
MTS already has a tie-up with Chinese handset-makers Huwaei and ZTE for sourcing mobile phones. Its current range of smartphone offerings include entry level BlackBerry (priced at Rs 8,000).
Customer Acquisition
MTS, Marwaha said, is banking on its new handset portfolio – across different price points – for customer acquisition.
Launches will be made keeping in mind the “second SIM phenomenon”; where a user would like to keep two SIM cards and use the CDMA number for making calls at a lower rate.
Market sources maintain that a major reason for CDMA offerings not taking off in the country has been because of lack of options in the handset ranges.
MTS has around 10 million subscribers nationally; with 3 million in the voice category and another 1.5 lakh in the data segment here in Kolkata and West Bengal circles.
“We are seeing around 5 – 6 per cent month-on-month growth in data segment while growth in voice has been flat,” he added.
abhishek.l@thehindu.co.in