Feb 17, 2009 08:30 ET
Truphone Local Anywhere™ Takes the Pain Out of International Mobile Communications
LONDON & BARCELONA, Spain --(Business Wire)-- Feb 17, 2009
Truphone today announced plans to launch, later this year, Truphone
Local AnywhereTM: a single-SIM, multi-country mobile service
that will make any mobile call within the set of supported countries
into a local call.
The introduction of Truphone’s multi-country, single-SIM service will
change the current experience of people with an international lifestyle.
Their mobile experience is currently characterized by frustration,
brought on by constantly having to juggle multiple SIM cards and mobile
phones in order to minimize their mobile costs.
The company announced its plans today at the GSMA Mobile World Congress
in Barcelona, Spain (Stand 7C38).
As the world’s first true commercial multi-country mobile service,
Truphone Local Anywhere will deliver low rates on their Truphone plan in
any supported country – eliminating the need to maintain separate
phones, switch between multiple SIMs or incur expensive roaming charges.
The new service also provides savings to people calling Truphone Local
Anywhere customers as well. Friends, family or business associates can
call whichever number is most convenient to the caller – making every
call cost the same as a local call.
Additional Truphone Local Anywhere features and cost savings include:
-
Number portability of existing mobile and landline numbers to Truphone;
-
Full service multi-language customer support;
-
Ability to manage their Caller ID (CLI);
-
Competitive rates on domestic calls, SMS, and data in home country;
-
Low cost international calling to the world from any Truphone Local
Anywhere-supported country;
-
Up to 80 percent savings on roaming charges when visiting other
countries;
-
No roaming surcharges to receive calls in most major destinations;
-
TruFriendsTM – providing even lower calling rates to call
to other Truphone Local Anywhere customers;
-
Additional “virtual” country mobile numbers to seem 'local' in another
country so friends/colleagues can call at local rates.
Meeting the Unique Needs of People with International Lifestyle
The Truphone Local Anywhere service is designed to meet the needs of
people living an international lifestyle, such as:
-
Travel industry workers including pilots, cruise ship captains or
tourism professionals who travel from one country to another and who
need to be in touch with people locally, in other countries and back
home;
-
Second home owners who want a local mobile number in both locations so
they can talk to friends and family in different countries at local
rates;
-
Professional expatriate workers and their families who want a local
mobile number in both locations so they can talk at local rates to
families, friends and colleagues;
-
International students who want to avoid roaming charges, but wish to
maintain contact using a single phone number; and
-
International business people who want a unified solution for their
international communications needs as they roam from country to
country.
“Until now, the only way to avoid the massive cost of mobile roaming is
to carry multiple phones and multiple SIM cards, one for each country
you frequent,” stated Truphone CEO Geraldine Wilson. “This means
juggling multiple devices and phone numbers to avoid paying the high
roaming rates traditionally associated with travel.
“Our customers tell us that they value our current services to make low
cost international calls when at home and when roaming. Now they’re
asking us to bring it all together. They want one phone, one SIM and one
plan. Truphone Local Anywhere delivers this all-in-one solution by
providing the first fully-integrated multi-country mobile service for
personal users and business professionals. Now these internationalists
can enjoy all the benefits of home wherever they may be.”
Truphone Seeking Strategic Partnerships
In addition to launching this year in several key territories, Truphone
announced that it is seeking to rapidly expand its international network
and customer base via a global franchise model. Operators and retailers
who partner with the Truphone Local Anywhere program can appeal to
highly targeted groups of international customers and increase their
network traffic. Other partners will also be able to connect to the
service with minimal infrastructure requirements.
For more information or to become part of the development process,
contact truphonepartners@truphone.com
Price and Availability
The first implementations of Truphone Local Anywhere™ will be
available in the second half of 2009.
Additional resources
About Truphone
Founded in 2006, Truphone
is a global mobile communications provider in the business of innovating
how people converse in our globally connected world. As the industry’s
first mobile Internet operator, the company makes it easy and affordable
for users all over the world to keep in touch with friends, family and
business contacts overseas or whilst roaming.
Truphone is the trading name of Software Cellular Network (SCN). SCN is
privately owned, funded by both venture capital investment and angel
investors.
Important information
Truphone is not a replacement for an ordinary telephone service and
emergency calls cannot be made using Truphone. However Truphone does not
prevent emergency calls being made via a handset’s normal cellular
service provider.
Truphone cannot advise on the legality of VoIP services in specific
territories or jurisdictions. It is the user's responsibility to confirm
that use of the Truphone VoIP software and service is permitted in the
location in which they use it.
Both Barrels Communications
UK/Europe:
Rose Ross, +44 7976 154
597
+44 208 255 5225
rose@bbcomms.co.uk
or
Tim
Donnelly Smith, +44 7978 800275
tim@bbcomms.co.uk
or
North
America:
Comunicano Inc.
Sue Huss, +1 619-379-4396
sue.huss@comunicano.com