BlackBerry sales rise, slowly

Md Hasan

Grameenphone has sold 3,000 BlackBerry sets in Bangladesh since January 2008, which shows slow growth in the high-end smartphone segment.

However, Grameenphone officials said the sales figures could be considered healthy for the Bangladeshi market because of the limitations in the purchase of a BlackBerry.

Grameenphone launched BlackBerry in Bangladesh more than 19 months ago in collaboration with Canada's Research In Motion to provide a complete lifestyle technology package to corporate customers.

BlackBerry is a line of wireless handheld devices introduced globally in 1999 as a two-way pager. The smartphone supports push e-mail, mobile telephone, text messaging, internet faxing, web browsing and other wireless information services as well as a multi-touch interface.

Research In Motion (RIM) manufacturers BlackBerry phones. As of May 2009, RIM announced the number of BlackBerry subscribers has reached approximately 28.5 million worldwide.

In Bangladesh, BlackBerry was popularised by those who basically wanted to constantly be in touch via email. Most users prefer a BlackBerry for its 24-hour push mail service.

However, easy purchase options and an availability of other smartphones such as iPhone 3G and Nokia N series hinder the growth of BlackBerry sales in Bangladesh.

The BlackBerry service is only available to subscribers through special licenses and is sold at only 20 Grameenphone centres across the country, said a high official of Grameenphone.

"As it is an exclusive service for high-end corporate customers, the number of BlackBerry subscribers has grown slowly. But even then, intake has exceeded expectations of the company," said the official.

Ahmed Ali Shah, managing director for OCC (origination and client coverage) and wholesale banking of Standard Chartered Bank, said he hooked up his office work through his BlackBerry and is able to check his email, no matter where he is.

"I prefer using a BlackBerry as I have to maintain security in checking my official email. And here, the BlackBerry is unique," Shah said.

Mazhar Islam, managing director of Dragon Fertiliser Bangladesh Ltd, uses a BlackBerry smartphone to remain available to his business colleagues 24 hours a day.

"There is no alternative to the BlackBerry to be connected to the internet 24/7," said Islam.

He said the BlackBerry can be used as an alternative to a computer, but it has some limitations, like a low capacity to attach photos or videos.