Freshtel offers cellphone VoIP client to other VoIP providers

Stuart Corner
Wednesday, 04 March 2009 09:45

IT Industry - Market

Freshtel Holdings (ASX: FRE) has released a version of its mobile VoIP application which can be licensed for use by other VoIP service providers. It integrates with the address book on WiFi enabled compatible phones so that outgoing calls default to using VoIP over WiFi rather than the cellular network.

At present only Nokia S60 based devices are supported but the company says an iPhone version is in testing and due for release shortly and it is making progress on versions for the Android and Windows Mobile platforms.

Freshtel offers the application as a service direct to end users over its own VoIP network in Australia and has licensed this end-to-end service as a white label offering to a number of overseas carriers. It says the new application will provide it with an additional revenue steam as well as tapping into the lucrative global licensing market by charging a license fee per user and fees for customisation.

Rhonda O'Donnell, CEO of Freshtel, said the application had huge potential in emerging markets providing a viable alternative to cellular network extensions for 'coverage gaps' in places such as China and India. "When we exhibited Freshtel's retail MobileLink service at the major tradeshows overseas last year, attracting amazing interest from other network operators, we weren't in a position to offer the technology for use on third party networks, but saw a market for such technology, so we've developed this new version of our mobile solution that will work on all compatible networks."

She added; "Our mobile application has the ability to integrate with global VoIP providers, and we can sublicense the technology to specialist software licensing companies. One of the key selling points for Freshtel's technology is that we offer an automated set up and configuration which other providers would have to invest significantly to develop. In a further exciting development, the Freshtel Mobilelink iPhone application is in testing, due for release shortly and we have made ground on the Android and Windows Mobile platforms."