Nokia expects bullish market in 1999

Nokia expects bullish market in 1999

JAKARTA (JP): Finland-based mobile phone producer Nokia is
bullish about the Indonesian cellular market's prospects next
year because it expects the country's economy to start
recovering.

The general manager of Nokia Mobile Phones Indonesia,
Alexander Lambeek, said on Thursday that he was optimistic that
the economic recovery would stimulate the cellular telephone
market, which had been severely hurt by the country's worst ever
economic crisis.

Lambeek said that the expected economic recovery would
certainly benefit Nokia, which he claimed was the market leader
in the country's mobile telephone market,

"1998 was a record year for our company as we, for the first
time, led the world's mobile phone industry as well as
Indonesia's. We believe that 1999 will be another record year for
us," he told a media gathering.

"We feel optimistic about expanding our customer base next
year and to continue leading the domestic market," Lambeek added.

But he refused to reveal the company's sales figures or
revenue for this year or the company's projections for next year.

Lambeek said that the growth of cellular phone users in
Indonesia before the country was hit by the crisis in early July,
last year, exceeded the growth in other countries in the region.

"With such a huge potential, no international cellular phone
company can ignore the Indonesian market."

State telecommunications firm PT Telkom said that the number
of cellular users in Indonesia dropped 26.8 percent to 762,602 as
of September this year from around one million in September last
year, due to the sharp increase in the prices of cellular phones
and the rising usage rates following the rupiah's sharp fall
against the U.S dollar.

Lambeek said that despite the current economic problems, Nokia
remained committed to Indonesia and its long-term business goals.

"Although the country is having an economic slowdown, we
remain committed to providing the best products and services to
local consumers," he said.

"Early this year, we realized that this year would be a tough
year, but we consider that we have a large number of customers
and employees in the country, so we will have to stay here to
serve and help them. In fact, this year has become a wonderful
year."

Lambeek said the company would continue to launch its new
products and to open more service centers next year.

"We plan to launch our new product, the Nokia 9110 early next
year," he said. (gis)