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March 29, 2006
Startups Sink Fangs Into Cellco Margins On Voice and Data
While US VCs are backing long distance voice startups, such as JaJah, a host of startups in Europe are aiming for the mobile network operators' cash cows, their mobile voice and data services.
You could almost feel sorry for Europe’s telcos and cellcos, almost. What with Skype and dozens of others offering VOIP services that attack long distance revenues, and groups like FON rushing their hotspot and broadband mobile services. But the incumbents’ high rates for mobile voice and data services, just make them such easy targets.
Here is a quick list of some of the recently launched, or about to be launched, services that the alarm:clock euro has come across this week.
Hotxt (UK) - flat-fee text messaging service for UK market. Works with Java phones and requires a user to install client on handset. Hotxt is backed by Cambridge Angels and Bridges Community Ventures.
Atelplus (Germany) – Cheaper wireless voice calls with a patented least cost routing system. It is not yet launched but we’ve talked to the founder. The user will have to install a client on the phone. Only works on high end smartphones, although founder says he plans to roll it for lower cost Java phones. Bootstrapped.
Vipera (Switzerland) – Develops software that enables its customers (and the firm itself) to become a virtual mobile messaging network operator, undercutting cellcos text messaging service and photo messaging. Vipera has already launched ShootNSend to take photos on the fly and transmit them via mobile Internet service (GPRS), bypassing the pricey picture messaging service (MMS) from cellcos. It also hosts and enables an Italian mobile blogging platform, and sells its messaging technology platform. Bootstrapped.
Sofanet (Germany) – Wifi networks to share broadband connection between neighbors. Bootstrapped.
Posted on March 29, 2006 12:49 PM | Posted to Wireless | Permalink
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