Companies@UA: База компаний Украины

Kyiv, July 31 (Interfax-Ukraine) - Mobile phones sales in Ukraine in January to June 2009 totaled 1.82 million phones, which is 2.1 times less year-over-year, according to a report of the analysts of Unitrade Group.

The analysts said that the market fell by 3.3 times, to $227.5 billion in monetary terms.

"The results of the second quarter 2009 give hopes for a gradual restoration and increase in sales by late 2009," reads the report.

The average price of mobile phones fell by over one third against January to June 2008, to $124, and the prices of smartphones and communicators shrank by 27%, to $271. The share of smartphones and communicators grew by 0.3%, to 10.9%.

In the mobile phone segment, the leader in sales was Nokia, the market share of which went up by 9%, to 51%. Samsung with 25% followed it (a fall of 11%), and Sony Ericsson had 14% (a 2% decline).

The company specialists said that the share of the low price segment (up to $130) in H1, 2009 was 55% of total sales (in H1, 2008 it was 41%), and the share of phones worth up to $70 grew by 17%, to 36%. The share of the medium price segment ($130-$300) fell by 4%, to 37%, and the share of the upper segment (over $300) went down by 10%, to 8%.

Unitrade Group analysts forecast a slump in mobile phone sales in 2009 – to four million phones, which will be worth $540 million. The plunge will be linked not only with the fall in consumer solvency due to the economic crisis, but also with the total stoppage of the mobile phone market.