Bakrie Telecom
Hitting the right target in Indonesia
Following the adage, “know your audience,” Indonesia’s Bakrie Telecom is bringing innovative devices to market that are tailored to the unique lifestyles of its customers. Targeting Muslims, who represent about 85 percent of the country’s population, Bakrie worked closely with Qualcomm and Huawei to launch the highly stylized Hape esia Hidayah phone, often referred to as the “Islamic phone.”
Competition in this nation of many islands is fierce, making differentiation the key to success for operators in the region. There are 11 operators competing for approximately 240 million potential customers who own nearly 141 million mobile phones.
Earning customer loyalty is a challenge in this island nation where all networks offer similar services and price wars are common. Furthermore, SIM cards and prepaid service plans give consumers the freedom to use almost any mobile phone and switch operators when a better offer comes along.
The unique Hape esia Hidayah phone sounds the "azan" call to prayer five times daily and the bang of the traditional bedug drum at sunset during Ramadan to signal the end of fasting. It features a picture of Jakarta's grand mosque, digital Koranic verses and a Qibla, which points users to the Kaaba in Mecca, Saudi Arabia, the black stone structure that Muslims around the world turn to during prayer.
In 2009, two new models of Islamic phones were released. Bakrie Telecom subsequently applied this winning concept to other market segments releasing a Christmas phone, Rock Band phone, Chinese New Year phone and a Bali Hindu phone. In 2010, Bakrie Telecom will focus on a series of music and social networking phones.
