Not all Chinese products are substandard – Nokia

Mobile phone manufacturer, Nokia has denied allegation that all mobile devices from China are fake, according to the Director, Communications for Nokia in Greater China and Korea, Ms Louise Ingram.

He also said that contrary to some impression that all mobile devices manufactured in China are substandard, “Nokia has declared that this is far from the truth.”

Ms. Ingram said this during a media tour of Nokia’s manufacturing facility in China recently, noting that the plant is one of Nokia’s nine manufacturing facilities across the world.

Ingram also said the phones produced there undergo the same stringent quality controls and tests that have made Nokia the world’s leading brand in mobile devices.

The Nokia executive was however quick to add that many counterfeit phones are indeed produced in China and described the act as a global criminal activity that affects many successful consumer product companies in a wide range of industries, and Nokia is no exception. According to Ingram, ‘wherever it exists, counterfeiting damages local economies and negatively affects people with legitimate jobs in the supply chain’.

Meanwhile, in a bid to protect unsuspecting buyers from the apparent hazards of these devices, Nokia has adopted a hard line policy with its authorized distributors and retailers with regards to counterfeit products.

Through a dedicated field force, Nokia is able to monitor which outlets are selling counterfeit products and these retailers can be penalized by not receiving rebates, incentives and market support. They may also lose their license as Nokia authorized dealers.

Also speaking, Head, Government Affairs and Business Environment, Mr. Jussi Hinkkanen said, though Nokia abhors the apparent menace of the counterfeit products, the job of effectively addressing the negative trend rests squarely on regulatory agencies. He said a good way for consumers to ensure that they are purchasing the genuine devices is to patronize genuine Nokia outlets.

According to the Hinkkanen, ‘it is important for consumers to understand the risks of buying counterfeit mobile phones, which in spite of their poor quality offer the consumer no recourse in terms of warranty or after sales service’.

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