Cellucom, the GSM handset distributor and retailer, expects to have a network of 30 outlets in place in Saudi Arabia, and to add Oman to the list of markets under its coverage before year-end, according to a top official.


Pantech launched its G600, the world's smallest camera phone targeted at women. ©Gulf News
The company, which operates a joint venture in Saudi Arabia, has already established a hub presence in the cities of Riyadh and Jeddah and will shortly add Dammam. Thereafter, it will be looking to sub-franchise as a means of breaking into the smaller centres in the kingdom.

Cellucom already has a presence in Bahrain, Kuwait and Qatar through a mix of wholly owned or joint venture operations.

An entry into Oman will thus represent the final piece of its strategy for the GCC, deemed as the key to its medium-term growth prospects, along with the Sub Saharan markets of Kenya, Uganda and Tanzania.

"This year, we are looking at a volume of over 2.2 million GSM handsets compared with 1.6 million last year," said Arun Nagar, managing director. "It is our intention to pursue growth aggressively in the GCC and sub-Saharan Africa. This should keep us busy for the time being."

The official added that the company had no plans for a presence in the greater Mena territory, nor in India.

In the UAE, which is Cellucom's biggest market, it will be taking its tally of own outlets to 10 before the end of this month.

"The MMS support capabilities of the regional networks are not what they could be. We will see greater usage of MMS once more value-added applications that can support MMS become available on these networks," said Nagar.

In the meantime, camera embedded phones have sort of become a "must have" for users, ensuring the growth of the mobile phone market in strong double digit numbers.

The stage is now set for the launch of handsets with cutting edge features such as a 3.1 mega pixel camera. Pantech, which made an entry into the UAE market in January, plans to bring out its model in the last quarter of the year.

Pantech has just signed on Cellucom as a distributor for the UAE, and plans to announce one in Kuwait shortly.

Vikas Nambiar, regional marketing manager at Pantech, said: "We are already there in Bahrain, Qatar, Iran and Turkey. Saudi Arabia is certainly on the list once the authorities there allow the sale of camera phones in that market.

"For a newcomer to the market, we have had a good degree of growth since the launch early this year. Addition of new markets and products, like the G600, the world's smallest camera phone targeted at women, will push us into a more prominent position down the line."