i2 extends retail reach into Pakistan

Saudi-founded mobile distributor, i2, has expanded its retail network into Pakistan where mobile phone subscribers increased by 22.36 million during the fiscal year 2007-08.

CEO of i2, Al Sunaid, said entering into Pakistan with a huge population of 165 million people offers great potential for his retail company

The retailer has an aggressive plan to cover most of the main cities in Pakistan by extending its customer touch points and mobile points of sale, while offering value added services such as i2 magazine, i2 club and i2 café.

Currently present in 22 countries in the Middle East, Africa and South Asia, the company sells a wide range of mobile phones, PDAs, wireless technology, software and mobile accessories.

The company’s CEO Abdul Hameed Al Sunaid stated the country was a key market and represented an integral part of i2’s geographical expansion.

“Pakistan is a huge market and we view it as having enormous potential. Pakistan is an ideal place for i2 particularly keeping in mind our strategic growth objectives and interest in untapped markets in South Asia,“ Al Sunaid commented.

With an estimated population of 165 million, Pakistan’s mobile penetration stands at approximately 53 per cent.