Punjab has a huge market for hi-tech 3G mobiles phones

Chandigarh, Aug.31 : Thanks to an expanding affluent middle-class, India is today the world's fastest growing cellular phone market. Having registered success in the lower segment, the transnational mobile phone makers are now targeting the high-end segment.

Punjab is a big market, as the craze for expensive mobiles has always been on the rise.

The much-awaited iPhone has already entered the Indian market. From its recent launch in the metros, it is expected to capture states like Punjab.

It is worth mentioning that Punjab today enjoys a tele-density of nearly 40 per cent, which is double the national average of 20 per cent. The impact of this fact is all major companies like Nokia, Samsung and Sony Ericsson are presently extensively marketing their latest 3G mobiles in Punjab.

"In today's time the new phones are very advanced and high-tech, and people are looking for that only. They have been waiting anxiously for i-phones, just because it's having a multi-touch interface. People are more aware of technology and they prefer buying latest gazettes," said a youngster.

"All youngsters want to have new technology feature phone. I think that's the main reason. Moreover, they want some stylish phone also. Youngsters are very keen to change the phone quickly. This is the main reason I think. Definitely, the trend will rise in the next 6 to 8 months," said one of the dealers. The latest figures with mobile and other telecom companies show that in Punjab, which has a populace of over 24 million, there are over 11 million telephone subscriptions.

Interestingly, over 55 per cent of the handsets sold in Chandigarh and rest of the Punjab are the high-end ones.

High-end mobile handset sales in metro cities are just 25-35 per cent among all states.

Take a look at the cellular phone's demand in Punjab, one finds that the State's mobile related craze has been unending. And, that could be a major captivation for mobile companies to launch their high-end gazette.

"It's a status symbol product and secondly, customer wants such a gazette, which you can use in different ways like mails editing as well as mobile phones. I-phone is basically a touch screen handset and customers are really crazy to buy that with Wi-fi and camera," said one mobile dealer.

People of Punjab are known the world over for their dynamism and practical approach, and for their charm to embrace latest technology for a better efficiency and profitability.

And, it's the right time for cellular phone companies to invest in the state-of-the-art technologies and make the mobile experience of customers an enjoyable one. By Sunil Sharma ANI)

ANI