Teleco firms spend over $9m on iPhone imports

During the first four months of this year, total import of completed mobile phones reached 5.1 million units costing $300 million. However, the high-class original iPhone product newly was named in the list of impressive import item between March and April with two major importers of Viettel and VinaPhone, according to statistics of general Department of Customs.

Total number of iPhone imported into Vietnam till April 30 were 14,500 units, higher 1,500 units than the previous announced statistic of telecom companies. In which, Viettel’s iPhone import was more than that of VinaPhone. Telecom companies spent about $9 million on importing iPhone handsets in the period.

In addition to the volume of imported 3G equipments, the import spending touched $1 billion so Ministry of Industry and Trade and general Department of Customs proposed to put the luxury mobile phones into the list of products subject to import dis-encouragement. Like cars, mobile phone will be under the special supervision by the price risk management tools, general Department of Customs told VnExpress.

Currently, the import tariff on mobile phones is levied with 8-10 percent. So to narrow trade deficit, authorities planned to issue the price level for tariff calculation.

In the end of March, Vietnam’s telecommunication market was boiled by original iPhone 3G handsets. Hundreds of people lined before shops of Viettel and VinaPhone in the first selling day. Initially, two giants were eager to report the sales of 500-600 iPhone 3G handsets a day but now they ignore to announce the sales.

One analyst said that in the first phase both VinaPhone and Viettel imported total 14,500 units. If the daily sales reaches 200 iPhone 3G units, there will be 6,000 units being sold a month. But, one week ago, VinaPhone pioneered in re-adjusting its policy by launching the more attractive telecom package for stimulating demand.

Clearly iPhone is not the easily profitable product of telecom firms.

A senior official of MobiFone spoke, with the iPhone sales of 200 or even 500 units a day, Vietnam still does not become a potential market of selling iPhone. We cannot sell inspite of knowing sure loss. MobiFone will join the iPhone market of Vietnam with competitive prices and preferential service packages.

Vnexpress

Tags: IPhone in Vietnam, Vietnam iPhone imports, Vietnam IT