BenQ to tap RI's cellular phone market

The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

Expecting to tap the growing cellular phone market in Indonesia, BenQ, a Taiwanese electronics manufacturer, launched on Wednesday its cellular products here.

"We believe there is a big potential market here. Moreover, the business climate here is improving," BenQ managing director for ASEAN Denny Yao told The Jakarta Post.

Indonesia is the most rapidly growing cellular market in Southeast Asia, recording an average annual growth of 20 percent. However, at present, only 9 percent of its 220 million population, or 20 million people, use cellular phones.

BenQ's Singapore managing director, Lee Kim Huat, said the company had not set a sales target for this year because it would focus on creating product awareness among Indonesians.

"We have a full range of products, from low-end to high-end, which could be offered to all segments here. But firstly, we want to know whether people here are familiar with our brand," said Lee, adding that BenQ also aimed to expand its market in other Asian countries, such as China, Thailand and India.

BenQ launched three of its middle of the range cellular products -- M300, M305 and Z2 -- displayed at the Indonesia 2005 Cellular Show at the Jakarta Convention Center from Wednesday to Sunday.

The company has chosen PT Metrotech Jaya Komunika as its authorized dealer in Indonesia, which has set up after sales service centers in eight cities.

"We agreed to be BenQ's partner because it is the biggest cellular phone producer in Taiwan and among the six biggest in the world," said Metrotech president director Martono Jaya Kusuma. (006)