Technoglitch
Core Member
By offering its own-branded 4G smartphones bundled with 4G data, Idea Cellular plans to attract data users to enhance the customer base in a bid to take on rivals such as Bharti Airtel, Vodafone India and newcomer Reliance Jio Infocomm.
Indian mobile operators are bracing for fierce competition in an already cut-throat market as Jio, the telecoms unit of conglomerate Reliance Industries, and Vodafone are getting ready to launch 4G broadband services by December. Airtel has already taken a lead in the 4G space by launching services across over 300 circles, and is expanding further, while Aircel too plans to offer mass market 4G services in circles where it has licenses.
TCL Communication, a public company listed on the Hong Kong Stock Exchange, sells smartphones under the Alcatel One Touch brand. It has been the original equipment supplier (OEM) of 3G smartphones and dongles to Idea, which already sells these devices under its own brands -- Idea 3G Smartphones and Idea Smartwifi.
However, the procurement of smartphones had been put on hold since the past 6 months as the telco was busy devising a new handset strategy that involved 4G smartphones, the person added.
Idea had acquired spectrum in 1800 MHz band, used for offering 4G services, during the last two spectrum auctions in February 2014 and March 2015.
Idea Cellular in talks to bring branded smartphones for strong 4G push | ET Telecom
Indian mobile operators are bracing for fierce competition in an already cut-throat market as Jio, the telecoms unit of conglomerate Reliance Industries, and Vodafone are getting ready to launch 4G broadband services by December. Airtel has already taken a lead in the 4G space by launching services across over 300 circles, and is expanding further, while Aircel too plans to offer mass market 4G services in circles where it has licenses.
TCL Communication, a public company listed on the Hong Kong Stock Exchange, sells smartphones under the Alcatel One Touch brand. It has been the original equipment supplier (OEM) of 3G smartphones and dongles to Idea, which already sells these devices under its own brands -- Idea 3G Smartphones and Idea Smartwifi.
However, the procurement of smartphones had been put on hold since the past 6 months as the telco was busy devising a new handset strategy that involved 4G smartphones, the person added.
Idea had acquired spectrum in 1800 MHz band, used for offering 4G services, during the last two spectrum auctions in February 2014 and March 2015.
Idea Cellular in talks to bring branded smartphones for strong 4G push | ET Telecom
