OXFORD, United Kingdom-Having sold its cell-phone business to Bosch three years ago, the U.K.-based consumer electronics manufacturer Amstrad said it is preparing to re-enter the market with a low-priced handset. The company admitted it is in talks with a number of mobile operators and is looking to recruit one operator in each European country that would then help the service provider differentiate itself in the highly competitive prepaid market.
The company believes it can succeed at this end of the market-where others have failed-by using U.K.-based design expertise coupled with low-cost production resources in the Far East.
Amstrad, which built its reputation by developing cut-priced, fast-selling consumer electronics goods, is still run by its abrasive founder, Sir Alan Sugar. He said, “We have decided to enter the mobile-phone market now that technological development has stabilized.”
The company has not provided any information as to the technical specification of the cell phones or when they will become available.
