UK mobile service for globetrotters enters Australia as Optus MVNO

Stuart Corner
Thursday, 04 March 2010 11:46

Your IT - Mobility

UK based Truphone, a mobile service provider that offers local numbers in multiple countries on a single SIM, has entered the Australian market by becoming an MVNO on the Optus network and buying local fixed and mobile service reseller Startel Communications.

Truphone launched in January 2010 offering SIMs with UK and US numbers. It says Australian numbers will be available "in a few months" and according to its web site, it will add The Netherlands, South Africa and "many more countries" in 2010.

The company said in its press release announcing the Startel acquisition, that "key business and leisure destinations such as Hong Kong, Spain and South Africa," would be added.

Through the local number the Truphone service provides customers access to local rates for calls, texts and data in countries where it operates. Truphone claims that the service, Local Anywhere offers savings of up to 70 percent over normal roaming charges.

With the in-country number, Truphone re-assures customers that "When you are in Truphone Countries you make and receive calls as you would at home and you can be confident that you are getting the best rates available."

For other countries, Truphone offers downloadable apps that, depending on the type of phone, provide low cost calling via callback, and VoIP calling via WiFi. WiFi calling between Truphone, Skype and Google Talk users is free with these apps.

The in-country number supports data and Internet access and SMS, but not MMS. When users call from within that country the called party sees their local in-country number.

Users can also add other-country numbers to their existing SIM by paying $US19.99 per year for the number and $US12.99 per month. (ie UK residents can presently add US numbers to their UK SIM and vice versa).

CONTINUED