Siemens Information and Communications Mobile (ICM) Middle East, recently announced that its mobile offerings moved into the top four in the GCC's market share in mobile handsets.
"Our strategic direction has always been to deliver a strong range of phones that meet the needs of each sector of consumers," remarked Asim Sukhera, Regional Manager of Siemens ICM. "The 25 series (consisting of the C25 and S25 models) had an extremely good response from the GCC markets since their launch in last year."
The global company, headquartered in Munich, Germany also boasted a positive financial year in 1999, with sales rising from 3 million units in fiscal 1998 to 11 million units in fiscal 1999. In the Middle East, the company made a strong showing in the mobile phone sector, with sales rising above 120,000 units (not including Egypt), between February and September 1999. Siemens estimates an annual growth in GSM subscriptions at between 1.5 to 2 million per year (excluding Egypt).
Siemens confirmed that it is planning the launch of a new range of WAP (Wireless Application Protocol) phones in the near future. The series will include consumer, business and sport phones. The company's global philosophy is that WAP is a technology not just for the business sector, but more so for the consumer.
WAP services are not yet available in the GCC and Levant nations, though many firms have promised their release.
"Opening up WAP services will result in longer airtime usage, and more frequent usage, all of which will add on a whole host of additional revenue streams for service providers," conveyed Sukhera. "Any way you look at it, mobile telephony has entered a new dimension with the introduction of WAP."
Siemens has 500 manufacturing and assembly facilities in 42 countries, and subsidiaries and affiliates in more than 190 countries.
© 2000 Mena Report (www.menareport.com)
