Huawei to start open market sales in country

Md Jamal Uddin A leading global technology provider Huawei will foray in the country's open market with its own products side by side with existing operator channel business. Currently, the company is giving technology support for network building to the mobile operators -- Grameenphone, Banglalink, Robi, Airtel, Citycell and Teletalk, along with ICT based 'enterprise solution' in some key sectors of the country. The Chinese company unveiled the information at an interview at its office in the capital recently. "Huawei will expand open market channel in Bangladesh step by step as part of the company's business strategy, and at the same time, operator market channel will be enhanced also," said Tony Chen, marketing director of Huawei in the country. He informed the FE that they set a target to be one of top five leading handset vendors worldwide by 2013. They are working worldwide in this connection, he said. The company will launch Android handset in the country within a few months. The products that will be available in the market through direct channel are 'mobile handset'-smart and feature phone; 'mobile broadband'-data cards, mobile Wifi and module; and 'home device'-tablets, broadband modems, gateways, set top box, fixed wireless terminals and digital photo frames. Mr Chen said in the days gone, their sales were only through 'operator' channel and now they will sell the products directly in the country.