Google acquires Gizmo5 to take on Skype. Deal valued at US$ 30 Million.

On 11.10.09, In Mobile, By admin
Google has been on the prowl acquiring some strategic companies in what could be termed as the next frontier. After acquring Admob, Techcrunch has reported that it is to acquire VOIP Start-up Gizmo5 for about USD 30 Million.
The deal comes after Skype successfully negotiated a deal with its former owners Niklas Zennstrom and Janus Friis, to maintain full possession of the technology it requires to operate.
Gizmo5, operated by Michael Robertson (of mp3.com fame), was reportedly in discussions with Skype about a potential acquisition should the company lose its legal battle with its former founders. But since that dela has gone through now, Skype no longer requires Gizmo5 as a potential back-up plan.
Google will now set itself up as a VOIP provider to rival Skype, which holds the vast majority of the market and accounts for 8% of all international voice traffic.
While Google already offers a feature for users to speak over the internet via Google Talk/Voice, it does not have the ability to make incoming or outbound calls to “real” telephones – a service Gizmo5 has already established. Interestingly, Gizmo5 has already been integrated with Google Voice, a service that replaces a user’s telephone numbers with a single number for all devices.

Google has been on the prowl acquiring some strategic companies in what could be termed as the next frontier. After acquring Admob, Techcrunch has reported that it is to acquire VOIP Start-up Gizmo5 for about USD 30 Million.

The deal comes after Skype successfully negotiated a deal with its former owners Niklas Zennstrom and Janus Friis, to maintain full possession of the technology it requires to operate.

Gizmo5, operated by Michael Robertson (of mp3.com fame), was reportedly in discussions with Skype about a potential acquisition should the company lose its legal battle with its former founders. But since that dela has gone through now, Skype no longer requires Gizmo5 as a potential back-up plan.

Google will now set itself up as a VOIP provider to rival Skype, which holds the vast majority of the market and accounts for 8% of all international voice traffic.

While Google already offers a feature for users to speak over the internet via Google Talk/Voice, it does not have the ability to make incoming or outbound calls to “real” telephones – a service Gizmo5 has already established. Interestingly, Gizmo5 has already been integrated with Google Voice, a service that replaces a user’s telephone numbers with a single number for all devices.

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T-Mobile UK agrees ninth major MVNO partner, Vectone. To take on Lyca and Lebara Mobile.

On 10.02.09, In Mobile, By admin
T-mobile along with Vectone intends to capture a large chunk of the increasing migration of international calling minutes on to the mobile.
Vectone is already established across Europe and has over one million customers across Denmark, Norway, Austria, The Netherlands and Switzerland.
T-mobile claims to have over 50% of the wholesale market already (virgin’s MVNO operation rides on t-mobile).
The Ethnic focussed, low-cost prepay service is estimated to target ten million potential subscribers in the UK generating more than seven billion calls per year.
T-Mobile, managing director Richard Moat said: ‘We are delighted to be supporting Vectone’s ambitious expansion plans for the UK market. The deal with Vectone signals our intent to become a major player in the ethnic MVNO arena.
‘With international calling card minutes rapidly migrating to mobile, this is an excellent time to be forging new partnerships in a segment which is showing signs of bucking the recession with strong projected growth rates.
‘Vectone builds on our eight existing MVNO partnerships and underlines our ambitions to target new growth areas in the wholesale market.’
T-mobile along with Vectone intends to capture a large chunk of the potential 7 billion calls per year of international calling from the ethnic community within the UK.
Vectone is already established across Europe and has over one million customers across Denmark, Norway, Austria, The Netherlands and Switzerland.
T-mobile claims to have over 50% of the wholesale market already (virgin’s MVNO operation rides on t-mobile) and with its ninth major partnership, there may be more to cheer about.
The Ethnic focussed, low-cost prepay service is estimated to target ten million potential subscribers in the UK.
T-Mobile, managing director Richard Moat said: ‘We are delighted to be supporting Vectone’s ambitious expansion plans for the UK market. The deal with Vectone signals our intent to become a major player in the ethnic MVNO arena.
‘With international calling card minutes rapidly migrating to mobile, this is an excellent time to be forging new partnerships in a segment which is showing signs of bucking the recession with strong projected growth rates.
‘Vectone builds on our eight existing MVNO partnerships and underlines our ambitions to target new growth areas in the wholesale market.’
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SK Telecom to Develop 3G Mobile Standard in China

On 08.15.06, In Mobile, By Editor

Faced with diminishing prospects at home, South Korea’s SK Telecom has of late been looking at China to tap into the world’s largest mobile market. The groundwork is starting to pay rich dividends.

According to published reports, SK has signed a memorandum of understanding with the Chinese government to jointly develop a 3G mobile standard in the world’s most populous nation.

South Korea’s number one mobile phone operator and the Chinese government will cooperate on the development and commercialization of TD-SCDMA, China’s home-grown 3G standard.

TD-SCDMA allows communication of numerous subscribers by dividing a spectrum into time slots unlike other platforms, which use separate spectrums for wireless transmission and reception.
TD-SCDMA is one of three technologies that is recognized by the International Telecommunications Union as the next-generation mobile telecom standard. The other two are CDMA2000 and wideband-CDMA.

Under the agreement, SK plans to set up a TD-SCDMA experimental station in Pundang, south of Seoul, in 2007 to carry out tests on the mobility-specific techniques. It will also establish a TD-SCDMA service center in China to pursue joint research in 3G multimedia services, value-added devices and platforms.

“SK Telecom is the first foreign telecom service provider to establish a cooperative relationship with China on TD-SCDMA technologies. This signifies the full recognition of our technological prowess,” SK CEO Kim Shin-bae said.

SK spokesperson Do Hoon added: “We have agreed on building a cooperative model with China for the telecom industry, for not only TD-SCDMA technologies but also beyond 3G standards.”

In June, SK had agreed to buy up to $1 billion worth of China Unicom’s (News – Alert) bonds, giving it an option on a 6.67 percent stake in China’s second-biggest mobile firm.
The Unicom share first gave SK Telecom entry into the fast-expanding Chinese market. It is the largest mobile phone market in the world in terms of subscribers. China has more than 421 million mobile phone subscribers and the number is slated to rise to at least 600 million within the next three years.

SK Telecom provides cellular services, wireless Internet services, and online Internet and Internet access via CDMA networks. Through its subsidiary, SK Teletech, it also designs, markets and sells digital handsets under the brand name Sky. The company provides international calling services, multimedia services and a telematic service called NATE Drive, which offers drivers with real-time location and traffic information.

Source- http://ipcommunications.tmcnet.com

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