Telecom Lead Asia: 3G is set to boost smartphone uptake in Bangladesh.
“Launch of 3G services by public sector mobile telephony operator, Teletalk in 2012 and the auction of 3G spectrum to private mobile operators in June 2013 are expected to greatly improve the prospects for smartphones in the next two years,” said Faisal Kawoosa, lead analyst, CMR Telecoms Practice.
CMR Telecoms Practice says the Bangladesh telecom market posted 4.6 million mobile handsets during CY Q4 (October-December) 2012, with feature phones contributing to a major chunk of the pie.
In 2012, 16.7 million units of mobile phones shipped in the Bangladesh market, down 1.9 percent.
This decline was on account of instructions passed by the Bangladesh Telecommunication Regulatory Commission (BTRC) to vendors to mandatorily integrate Bangla language in all mobile handsets. The decline was primarily noted in Q1 CY 2012.
Since local brands are doing well in Bangladesh, the market could be served with handsets manufactured out of India at competitive price points. This will create an additional market for Indian mobile handsets and broaden supply chain options for Bangladesh handset vendors.
Bangladesh mobile handset user usually opts for mobile handset that costs between $15-25. They use phones for accessing social media and data services.
The grey market which used to account for as much as 80% of total unit shipments until a few years ago has now fallen below 20% in the country.
Domestic players like Symphony Mobile, Smart Mobile, Maximus etc., have done well. They compete with international players like Nokia and Samsung.
Symphony Mobile is leading the Bangladesh mobile market. Growth drivers for Symphony Mobile are its aggressive pricing strategy, contemporary features and styling, international quality build and a strong distribution network.
Other players in the Bangladesh market include Nokia, Smart, Maximus, Kingstar, Micromax, G-Five, Octenn, Samsung, Forme etc.
