Coolpad plans to launch 15 low cost CDMA phones this year

Coolpad Communications, the Indian subsidiary of Hong Kong-based China Wireless Technologies, is planning to launch 15 CDMA handsets in the sub- Rs 5,000 price range, during this fiscal. It has also rolled out an ultra low cost touchscreen CDMA phone, S100, in Maharashtra.
Following the launch of these 15 handsets, it will target one million handset sales in India every year and expects the Maharashtra telecom circle to contribute nearly 20 per cent of these volumes.
Sami Al-Lawati, managing director, Coolpad Communications, said in a company statement, ” Currently, the operator pushed CDMA handsets are primarily in the sub-Rs 2,000 price bracket. However, amongst the 120 million CDMA subscriber base in India, almost 30 per cent use CDMA smartphones. This captive customer base of CDMA smartphones offers Coolpad an opportunity to address the CDMA segment with the right products, at very attractive price points.”
Raj Maharshi, circle head, Maharashtra and Goa, Reliance Webstore, added, “In Maharashtra, Reliance Webstore will market Coolpad CDMA handsets, including the newly introduced S100, across twenty top cities in the state. We expect a substantial growth in the overall handset volumes sold in Maharashtra through Reliance World and Reliance Mobile Stores over the next two to three quarters.”
As per the statement, Coolpad has already launched its Dual-Mode (CDMA and GSM) handsets in India, but S100 is its first CDMA handset in the country. The company entered the Indian market last year through a distribution deal with Reliance Webstore Limited, which was signed in October 2009.