Finnish handset maker Nokia would soon introduce "Dual Sim" enabled mobile phones in Indian market, a company official said today.
"We will be introducing the dual sim phone very soon (in India). The new model would be produced at the Chennai facility", Nokia India Director (Chennai-factory) Operations Prakash Katama told reporters here.
Meanwhile, Nokia after entering India in 2006, has crossed its 500th million mark mobile phone produced from the Chennai plant. The company which set up its first plant with an investment of USD 150 million began producing basic handsets.
"In June 2010, we crossed the 400 million mark and now we are proud to announce the 500th million mobile phone manufactured from our facility.", he said.
Stating that the company has so far made investments of USD 285 million at the factory as part of its expansion plans, he said they were very proud to cross the 500 million mark in a such a short duration, he said after unveiling the 500th million mobile phone Nokia - C3.
The company which initially began producing the basic 1100 model at the factory is currently manufactures 21 models including the QWERTY, dual sim and Touch models.
"This has become the largest mobile manufacturing site for Nokia. We have about 8,000 employees at our facility with 70 per cent constituting women", he said.
While the handsets manufactured at the facility range from the basic to middle end phones (priced upto Rs 7,000),he said.
The phones produced in India have a localisation level of 30 per cent and the company has about five component suppliers in the SEZ itself, he said.
On the 500th mobile phone launched today, Nokia India Communications Director Poonam Kaul said their Brand Ambassador - Bollywood superstar Shah Rukh Khan signed phone
would be available for prospective buyers through an e-auction at www.nokia500million.com for bidding.
The winner would get the mobile phone personally signed by the Actor himself, she said.
Asked on their restructuring plans in which there could be about 300 job cuts in India, Katama later told PTI that 300 job cuts would be done in India by end of 2012. "It is likely to be minimal (in India)", he said.
About the proposal to manufacture a universal charger compatible to all mobile handsets, Nokia Communications Director Poonam Kaul said that proposal was "well on track".
"We are absolutely on track with that... Thats very much on plan.. It will be introduced in 2012", she said.
Nokia currently has 10 manufacturing facilities in nine countries. From the Chennai facility alone, Nokia exports to over 100 countries which contribute 50 per cent of the production. In 2010, Nokia India reported revenues of Rs 25,000 crore.