Philips to launch new phone handsets

JAKARTA (JP): Philips, an electronic manufacturer of the Netherlands, will launch its new cellular telephone handsets later this month to tap Indonesia's cellular phone market.

Simon J.G. Roper, the general manager for the Asia-Pacific division of Philips Consumer Communications, a subsidiary of Philips, said yesterday his company was aiming to become one of three biggest cellular terminal manufacturers in the region by the year 2000.

He said the Asia-Pacific region, which will contain about 25 percent of the world's cellular telephone users by 2000, is a strong potential market for his company's products.

He said the new terminals, called Fizz, incorporate a number of the latest features of the Global System for Mobile communications networks.

Telecommunications analysts said that Philips would face stiff competition from other companies whose products were already established on the domestic market, such as Ericsson, Motorola and Nokia.

Pandji Soeradi, a manager of PT Philips Development Corporation, an affiliate of Philips Consumer Communications, said his company would sell Fizz terminals at less than Rp 1 million (US$428) per unit.

"We expect to sell some 80,000 units in 1997," he said.

Fizz handsets, offered in 12 colors, are 162mm in height and 60mm in width. Each handset weighs 210 grams and includes a standard battery. (icn)