Mobile phone sales skyrocket in RI
Mobile phone sales skyrocket in RI
Rendi A. Witular, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta
Cellular phone sales in the country catapulted 67 percent to
more than 2.4 million in the first half of the year, compared to
the same period last year, due in most part to declining prices
for handsets and phone cards, according to the Indonesian
Cellular Phone Association (ATSI).
Cellular subscribers jumped to 8.1 million by the end of the
first half of the year, from 6.5 million by the end of last year,
the association said.
Of the total handsets sold in the first half of the year,
1,439,100 were bought by first-time users, while the remaining
986,250 were purchased by those wanting to replace their
handsets.
Cellular phone sales for the first semester of last year
reached 1,453,050, including 902,700 bought by first-time users
and 550,350 by those wanting to replace their old handsets, ATSI
data said.
ATSI has predicted annual sales of handsets to top 3.5 million
this year, while new cellular subscribers will increase by 3
million in the second half of the year to hit 9.6 million by the
end of this year.
ATSI chairman Rudiantara said that people were now keen to buy
cellular phones and replace their old equipment following the
drop in the price of handsets and phone cards.
"With handsets costing Rp 400,000 (US$45) and starter kits, or
new mobile numbers, priced at Rp 150,000, you can now have a
complete cellular phone," said Rudiantara.
From 1997 to the end of June 2002, a total of 8.5 million
handsets were sold in the country, while total cellular
subscribers numbered 8.1 million. This means that 400,000
handsets were owned by users with more than one handset.
Forty percent of the country's mobile users live in the
Greater Jakarta area.
Rudiantara said Finland-based handset manufacturer Nokia was
the largest supplier to the country with a market share of 70
percent.
Siemens ranks second in terms of sales volume, followed by
Samsung and Ericsson.
However, in terms of sales revenue, Samsung is the second
largest supplier after Nokia, followed by Siemens and Ericsson.
Samsung's handsets are costlier than Siemens and Ericsson's
products.
ATSI said compared to other Southeast Asian countries, the
number of cellular subscribers in Indonesia was fairly high. But
the country has the lowest ratio of cellular subscribers to the
population.
Until the end of this year's first semester, Malaysia had 8.3
million cellular subscribers, Singapore some 3 million, while the
Philippines had 12.7 million.
Rudiantara added that the average replacement handset in the
region, including Indonesia, was considered high compared to
Australia and European countries.
Customers in Southeast Asia usually replace their old handsets
with new versions not more than three years later, while in
Europe and Australia, people tend to keep their handsets for more
than four or five years.
"Mobile phone customers in Australia and European countries
use the device due to its functions' capabilities, while in
Indonesia function comes second after trend and prestige, which
are the main factors for people to use the device," said
Rudiantara.
Rendi A. Witular, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta
Cellular phone sales in the country catapulted 67 percent to
more than 2.4 million in the first half of the year, compared to
the same period last year, due in most part to declining prices
for handsets and phone cards, according to the Indonesian
Cellular Phone Association (ATSI).
Cellular subscribers jumped to 8.1 million by the end of the
first half of the year, from 6.5 million by the end of last year,
the association said.
Of the total handsets sold in the first half of the year,
1,439,100 were bought by first-time users, while the remaining
986,250 were purchased by those wanting to replace their
handsets.
Cellular phone sales for the first semester of last year
reached 1,453,050, including 902,700 bought by first-time users
and 550,350 by those wanting to replace their old handsets, ATSI
data said.
ATSI has predicted annual sales of handsets to top 3.5 million
this year, while new cellular subscribers will increase by 3
million in the second half of the year to hit 9.6 million by the
end of this year.
ATSI chairman Rudiantara said that people were now keen to buy
cellular phones and replace their old equipment following the
drop in the price of handsets and phone cards.
"With handsets costing Rp 400,000 (US$45) and starter kits, or
new mobile numbers, priced at Rp 150,000, you can now have a
complete cellular phone," said Rudiantara.
From 1997 to the end of June 2002, a total of 8.5 million
handsets were sold in the country, while total cellular
subscribers numbered 8.1 million. This means that 400,000
handsets were owned by users with more than one handset.
Forty percent of the country's mobile users live in the
Greater Jakarta area.
Rudiantara said Finland-based handset manufacturer Nokia was
the largest supplier to the country with a market share of 70
percent.
Siemens ranks second in terms of sales volume, followed by
Samsung and Ericsson.
However, in terms of sales revenue, Samsung is the second
largest supplier after Nokia, followed by Siemens and Ericsson.
Samsung's handsets are costlier than Siemens and Ericsson's
products.
ATSI said compared to other Southeast Asian countries, the
number of cellular subscribers in Indonesia was fairly high. But
the country has the lowest ratio of cellular subscribers to the
population.
Until the end of this year's first semester, Malaysia had 8.3
million cellular subscribers, Singapore some 3 million, while the
Philippines had 12.7 million.
Rudiantara added that the average replacement handset in the
region, including Indonesia, was considered high compared to
Australia and European countries.
Customers in Southeast Asia usually replace their old handsets
with new versions not more than three years later, while in
Europe and Australia, people tend to keep their handsets for more
than four or five years.
"Mobile phone customers in Australia and European countries
use the device due to its functions' capabilities, while in
Indonesia function comes second after trend and prestige, which
are the main factors for people to use the device," said
Rudiantara.