"The matter has been taken up at the headquarters and we are awaiting a response," said Girish V Rao, vice-president-sales, LG Electronics India.

Rao said most customers felt GSM mobiles were convenient because users could take the SIM card out from one handset and fit it into another while switching handsets.

However, CDMA users seeking to retain the number and data while changing handsets had to go to a store to get an existing number and data electronically transferred to a new handset.

Open-end CDMA handsets would permit users to transfer information with the ease of a GMS handset, and avoid the mandatory store visit.

To up LCD, plasma TV market share

LG Electronics India Pvt Ltd, through its joint venture with Philips, aims to capture a major share of the market for LCD and plasma televisions in India.

"The LCD and plasma television market is growing at 400 per cent in India every year and LG is planning to capture this market with LCD products between 20 and 42 inches size and plasma TVs [Get Quote] in the 42-70 inch category."

By the end of Diwali season, LG hopes to sell 50,000 LCD and plasma TVs in India and garner sales of Rs 375 crore (Rs 3.75 billion).

Businesses, media houses and shopping malls would be used to advertise this product range with a budget of close to Rs 10 crore (Rs 100 million).