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     Volume 6 Issue 4 | February 2, 2007 |


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Venture

Connecting Bangladesh

Prem Chand, general manager of Nokia Bangladesh, talks to the SWM about his idea of connecting people.

How do you plan to fight the illegal sales of Nokia phone-sets and accessories in Bangladesh?
The government has done an excellent job in recognising the importance of the industry by lowering customs duties on mobile devices

The flow of unauthorised handsets into the market is a big issue as it means that consumers are not getting best value for their money as well as not getting the best consumer experience. Many of the unauthorised handsets in this market are sold without the full sales package and with non genuine batteries and chargers. Hence the consumer is being shortchanged.

Our approach is to provide consumers with Nokia authorised devices, thereby reducing the intake of illegal devices, includes developing our distribution so that the devices are available at retail outlets that are convenient for the consumer to get to. Consumer education is also an important element so that they can understand the benefits of buying authorised devices. We launched a nationwide 'Made by Nokia' consumer education campaign in August 2006 and has seen increased awareness of the need for buying 'Made by Nokia'.

Prem Chand, General Manager, Nokia

To check on the Nokia mobile phone package authenticity, consumers are advised to look for the 'Made by Nokia' logo and the temper proof seal on the packaging.

We know that Nokia has introduced some new products like operating system and Short Messaging Service in Bangla. Would you please elaborate the ideas behind this new initiative?
One of the most important keys to success in this market is to offer attractive, reliable and easy-to-use mobile phones that are specifically designed to meet the unique needs of Bangladeshis who are very proud of their language.

Our mobile phones for Bangladesh have local language user interface with Bangla Text, Bangla Keypad, Bangla Talking Alarm Clock and Bangla Speaking Clock. This allows Bangladeshis to have the total experience in Bangla and goes beyond SMS communication. There are some things that make sense only when spoken in Bangla and our mobile phones allow this to happen.

Are there any new products in the offing?
Nokia continues to be an industry leader in innovation, creativity and design of mobile devices. Our army of researchers works with the designers to translate trends in fashion and style into the very latest in mobile design. So we introduce new products on a regular basis to meet the needs of our consumers. These new products underscore our commitment to give consumers a choice in selecting the right balance of technology and design to meet their lifestyle and budget.

We have introduced a number of new products in this market over the last few months. These include music enabled products such as, N series music edition phones. These music phones combine the best of mobile communication and mobile music, making it easier than ever to carry a single, stylish device at an affordable price.

Amongst our most recently announced phones we will be introducing Nokia 2626 and Nokia 6300 in Bangladesh in next few weeks.

The Nokia 6300 - a sleek and stylish phone with solid feature set for today's professionals. The key feature of the Nokia 6300 is its size. It is designed for people who want an uncompromised set of features with highly desirable, sophisticated thin design. We expect the Nokia 6300 to be among our best selling models in 2007.

How does it feel to be in Bangladesh?
Bangladesh is an exciting market. With low mobile penetration and large population it provides enormous opportunity for growth.

A large share of the next billion subscribers will come from the Emerging Asia markets such as Bangladesh. Nokia is committed to this market and will work closely with local businesses, industry players and government to ensure that we bring connected mobility to Bangladeshis.

I am really amazed to see the level of patriotism in the people of Bangladesh. I have found them really warm and hospitable, which is one of the most profound things that I have come across during my stay here.

 

-- Ahmede Hussain


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