Truphone adds 11 new Nokia devices to its portfolio

26 Nokia devices now Truphone-compatible

Truphone has added 11 additional Nokia handsets to the list of devices compatible with Truphone, whose owners can now ring up big savings by taking advantage of Truphone’s broad range of calling plans and services.

“We first introduced Truphone on a Nokia device, so we are pleased to be able to increase the range of compatible Nokia devices and extend our loyal Nokia customer base further,” said Truphone's CEO, Geraldine Wilson. “Nokia is still the largest mobile handset manufacturer in the world, so ensuring that we’re on as many of these devices as possible means more and more people can take advantage of Truphone’s fantastic rates to make international calls.”

With the addition of the 11 new handsets, Truphone is now compatible on 26* Nokia devices. Of those, software for 14 of the Truphone-compatible devices can now be downloaded from Nokia’s new Ovi store, with the software for 11 of the remaining 12 new devices to be added to the Ovi store soon.

In addition to the Ovi Store the Truphone application is also available for all 26 Nokia devices as an SMS over-the-air (OTA) download from the Truphone web site, www.truphone.com, and will always parallel the applications available via the Ovi store. The Truphone website will also include applications for other Nokia devices not currently available via Ovi, as well as the other supported mobile platforms.

The new Truphone-enabled Nokia devices are:

• N96
• N78
• N85 (also VoIP enabled)
• N79 (also VoIP enabled)
• 5630 (also VoIP enabled)
• 5800
• 5320
• 6210
• 6220
• 6650
• E63

After downloading and installing the Truphone application to their handsets, Nokia device owners will be able to take advantage of two calling plan options:

• Truphone Anywhere: Calls made when customers are connected to local wireless networks are handled as local calls and then passed on to the Truphone network, from where they are routed at Truphone’s fantastic rates to landline and mobile phones worldwide. This service is intended for use in the user’s home country as savings cannot be guaranteed abroad.
• Truphone Wi-Fi calling: Calls made when customers are in accesible Wi-Fi hotspots anywhere in the world, can be made for free to other Truphone users and at Truphone’s fantastic rates to landline and mobile phones worldwide.

All the new handsets are Truphone Anywhere-capable and, in addition, three of the handsets - the N85, N79 and 5630 - are also compatible with the original Truphone Wi-Fi calling service, hailing back to Truphone’s origin as the first Mobile VoIP service available on Nokia N- and E-series devices.

This means that when customers are connected to a Wi-Fi network, a call to another Truphone customer is completely free and also means they can use a Nokia handset as an alternative, inexpensive roaming solution if they choose to only make calls when connected to a Wi-Fi network when abroad or anywhere.

With Truphone Anywhere, everyone can save money when making international calls. It’s simple: international calls dialled on a Truphone Anywhere enabled handset are connected as local calls to the Truphone network, then routed to their destinations at Truphone’s low rates. This means that for the price of local calls, which are often bundled in an operator’s monthly package, customers can make calls to other Truphone users for free or to landlines and mobiles around the world for as little as 1.5p per minute.

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* The full list of Nokia devices that are Truphone-compatible is:

• E51
• E60
• E61
• E61i
• E63
• E65
• E66
• E70
• E71
• E90
• N80ie
• N81
• N81 8GB
• N82
• N95
• N95 8GB
• N96
• N78
• N85
• N79
• 5630
• 5800
• 5320
• 6210
• 6220
• 6650

Important information
Nokia, E50-E99, Eseries and N70-N99 are trademarks or registered trademarks of Nokia Corporation. Wi-Fi is a registered trademark of the Wi-Fi Alliance. Truphone is a trademark of Software Cellular Network Ltd. All other brands, product names, company names, trademarks and service marks are the properties of their respective owners.

Truphone launches 3.0 for the iPod touch

New architecture delivers improved user experience, simplified management and performance boost

• User experience now slicker and more intuitive than ever before
• Account management outpaces anything else available
• Application faster than ever before – now native on the handset
• Radically improved call quality

Following hot on the heels of the launch of Truphone 3.0 for the Apple® iPhone™, Truphone today launched Truphone 3.0, a major new upgrade to its mobile VoIP application for the Apple® iPod™ touch.

The new version dramatically builds on the success of previous versions of the VoIP application for the iPod, enhancing the instant messaging and account management experience, making Truphone faster than ever before and delivering a new standard for call quality.

Among the many improvements in Truphone 3.0 are increased ease of use, speed of function response, intuitiveness and simplicity – all designed to enhance the user experience. Truphone has also improved voice quality making the app for the iPod better than it’s ever been before.

Using Truphone’s integrated messaging tool that unifies all IM communities in a single place, users can now simply manage all their IM communication from a single page within the application, eliminating the need to constantly jockey between different applications or even different pages within an application. IM services currently supported include Skype, MSN Messenger, AIM, Yahoo! Messenger and Google Talk.

“Following the successful launch of Truphone 3.0 for the iPhone we were keen to follow-up as quickly as possible for all our iPod touch customers. That’s what we’ve done to ensure that they can take advantage of all our new improvements: improved UI, account management and call quality. We believe Truphone 3.0 sets a new benchmark in terms of quality and performance”, said Geraldine Wilson, CEO Truphone.

“With these improvements, we believe Truphone 3.0 is the best application to turn your iPod touch into a Wi-Fi phone and staying in touch with all of your IM communities.”

[ends]

Resources

• Additional screenshots: Truphone for iPod touch, v3.0
• Truphone web site

Truphone already enables...

Free calls when in Wi-Fi to:

• Other Truphone users
• Skype and Google Talk users

Free Instant Messages when in Wi-Fi to:

• Skype
• MSN Messenger
• Google Talk
• Yahoo! Messenger
• AIM

Incredible savings on calls to:

• Call landlines and mobiles around the world at cheap rates

Great account management:

• See rates for calls before initiating a call
• Display recent call history, showing the Truphone customer exactly how much a call just cost and how long it lasted with the ability to see a summary of calls made month by month
• Top-up from within the application, without the need for web windows to open separately
• Top-up in a variety of ways: credit card or PayPal
• Change calling tariffs within the application

Apple and iPod are trademarks of Apple Inc, registered in the United States and other countries. Google is a trademark of Google Inc. Wi-Fi is a registered trademark of the Wi-Fi Alliance. Google and Android are trademarks of Google, Inc. Truphone is a trademark of Software Cellular Network Ltd. All other brands, product names, company names, trademarks and service marks are the properties of their respective owners.

Truphone 3.0 for the iPhone brings it all together

Improved user experience, simplified management and performance boost

Truphone today launched Truphone 3.0, a major new upgrade to its mobile VoIP application for the Apple® iPhone™. Truphone 3.0 dramatically builds on the success of previous versions of the iPhone’s first ever VoIP application, enhancing the instant messaging and account management experience, making Truphone faster than ever before and delivering a new standard for call quality.

Among the many improvements in Truphone 3.0 are increased ease of use, speed of function response, intuitiveness and simplicity – all designed to enhance the user experience. Truphone has also improved voice quality, making the app for the iPhone better than ever before.

Truphone’s integrated messaging tool unifies all IM communities in a single place, meaning users can manage all their IM communication from a single page within the application - eliminating the need to constantly jockey between different applications or even different pages within an application. IM services currently supported include Skype, MSN Messenger, AIM, Yahoo! Messenger and Google Talk.

“Customers tell us they want three things: simplicity, quality and a good deal. Those principles drive our innovation, and Truphone 3.0 delivers on all three. We’ve dramatically improved our UI and account management tools. We’ve eliminated the need for compression through new advances in signal processing, making calls crystal clear. And, just as we always do, Truphone 3.0 sets a new benchmark in terms of quality and performance that competitors will have a tough time matching," said Geraldine Wilson, CEO Truphone.

“With these improvements, we believe Truphone 3.0 is the best application on mobile for our customers’ international calling needs as well as staying in touch with all of their IM communities, in or out of Wi-Fi.”

Similar improvements to Truphone for the Apple iPod® touch will be announced soon.

[ends]

Resources

• Truphone web site
• Picture: Geraldine Wilson, Truphone CEO (Flickr)
  
• Screenshots: Truphone 3.0 (Flickr)
  

What Truphone already does

Free calls when in Wi-Fi to:

• Other Truphone users
• Skype and Google Talk users

Free Instant Messages when in Wi-Fi to:

• Skype
• MSN Messenger
• Google Talk
• Yahoo! Messenger
• AIM

Plus: incredible savings on calls to landlines and mobiles around the world.

Most importantly all these communication opportunities are also available outside of Wi-Fi by using Truphone Anywhere for calls (charged at a local rate in your home country and then routed over Truphone’s network – not for use when roaming), and 3G for Instant Messaging.

Account management:

• See rates for calls before initiating a call
• Display recent call history, showing the Truphone customer exactly how much a call just cost and how long it lasted with the ability to see a summary of calls made month by month
• Top-up from within the application, without the need for web windows to open separately
• Top-up in a variety of ways: credit card or PayPal
• Change calling tariffs within the application

Apple and iPod are trademarks of Apple Inc, registered in the United States and other countries. Google is a trademark of Google Inc. Wi-Fi is a registered trademark of the Wi-Fi Alliance. Google and Android are trademarks of Google, Inc. Truphone is a trademark of Software Cellular Network Ltd. All other brands, product names, company names, trademarks and service marks are the properties of their respective owners.

Truphone delivers unlimited savings with flat rate calling plans

Introduces flat-rate calling plans to both landlines and mobile phones

Low-cost calling just got lower with TruUnlimited, a robust, flat-rate, worry-free, calling plan announced today by Truphone. People around the world can now call more places, both landlines and mobiles, more often - all for one, low, fixed price.

Using TruUnlimited, customers enjoy the freedom to make calls around the world, at any time of the day and on any day of the week, without worrying about mounting call charges. The customer is also always in control: TruUnlimited plans do not require customers to enter into long-term contracts and may be cancelled at any time.

“Many of our customers have asked us to help simplify their lives by providing the peace of mind that comes with the ability to make unlimited calls without having to worry about checking balances or fear of bill shock when they receive their statement,” said Geraldine Wilson, CEO at Truphone.

TruUnlimited for Landlines
For people who need to communicate regularly with colleagues, friends or family around the world, the TruUnlimited for Landlines monthly plan gives unlimited calls to landlines in 38 countries for just £10 per month. As a bonus, the plan also permits calls to mobile phones in some top destinations such as the USA, Canada, China, and Hong Kong at no extra charge.

TruUnlimited for Mobiles
For people calling mobile phones more frequently, the TruUnlimited for Mobiles monthly plan provides subscribers with unlimited calls to mobiles and landlines in 64 countries for just £25 per month.

Both plans are available immediately both to existing Truphone customers and new subscribers via the easy installation of the Truphone application software. This is available as a free download for iPhone™ and iPod touch®, and for certain Nokia N-series and E-series devices. Truphone Anywhere is available on the Google™ Android G1 and on Blackberry® smartphones.

The new TruUnlimited plans are not replacements for other popular Truphone programs. Customers that do not need a Truphone Unlimited plan can still make great savings on Truphone's standard rates.

[ends]

Notes to editors
Countries included in the TruUnlimited for Landlines plan are landline numbers in: Argentina, Australia, Austria, Belgium, Brazil, Colombia, Cyprus, Denmark, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Japan, Korea (South), Malaysia, Netherlands, Panama, Poland, Portugal, South Africa, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Taiwan, UK, Venezuela.

In addition to landline numbers, mobile numbers in the following countries are also included with the TruUnlimited Landlines tariff: Canada, China, Guam, Hong Kong, Macau, Mariana Islands, Singapore, Thailand, USA.

Countries included in the TruUnlimited for Mobiles plan are landline and mobile numbers in: American Samoa, Antigua & Barbuda, Argentina, Aruba, Australia, Austria, Bangladesh, Belgium, Brazil, British Virgin Islands, Canada, Cayman Islands, China, Colombia, Cyprus, Cyprus (North), Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Guam, Guatemala, Hong Kong, Hungary, India, Indonesia, Iran, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Japan, South Korea, Kuwait, Macau, Malaysia, Mariana Islands, Mayotte, Mexico, Mongolia, Monserrat, Netherlands, Netherlands Antilles, Niger, Nigeria, Pakistan, Panama, Paraguay, Poland, Portugal, Russia, Rwanda, Singapore, South Africa, Spain, Sri Lanka, Sweden, Switzerland, Tajikistan, Taiwan, Thailand, Trinidad & Tobago, Turkmenistan, Uganda, UK, Ukraine, USA, Venezuela, Uzbekistan.

Apple and iPod are trademarks of Apple Inc, registered in the United States and other countries. Google is a trademark of Google Inc. Wi-Fi is a registered trademark of the Wi-Fi Alliance. Google and Android are trademarks of Google, Inc. Nokia is a trademark of Nokia Corporation. The BlackBerry trademark is owned by Research in Motion Limited and is registered in the United states and may be pending registration in other countries. Truphone is a trademark of Software Cellular Network Ltd. All other brands, product names, company names, trademarks and service marks are the properties of their respective owners.

Truphone launches Truphone Business

Enables companies to save 50% on international mobile call charges

Truphone today announced the launch of Truphone Business, a BlackBerry application enabling business users to make international phone calls from their devices at fixed line rates, typically saving 50% or more on call charges.

Truphone’s global infrastructure means that these savings are available for calls made from the UK to every destination globally, while never compromising on call quality. Truphone Business is also entirely 'invisible' to end users, who simply dial an international number as usual, without noticing that the call is being connected by Truphone.

Truphone Business is quick and easy to provision, being pushed to each device via the Blackberry server, instantly activating the service on every BlackBerry device. Specifically designed for business use, the service also offers centralised monthly billing with itemised and departmental reporting.

Truphone's CEO Geraldine Wilson said: “Hundreds of thousands of consumers are already enjoying the cost savings on international mobile calls that Truphone offers. The launch of Truphone Business follows demand for a business solution from our existing customer base. The proposition is extremely compelling, particularly in this economic climate. Companies are keen to cut costs but find that an increasingly mobile and global workforce need to make international calls from mobile devices as a part of day-to-day business. Truphone solves that problem by providing international calls from mobiles at fixed line rates.”

Truphone Business works alongside existing mobile operators. Users dial a number as usual and if the number is international, Truphone intercepts the call and connects it to the international destination via the Truphone global platform. Companies only pay for the local rate call to Truphone (which is usually included in their bundled minutes) and the international leg of the call, at fixed line rates.

Truphone Business offers two tiers of rates, TruStandard and TruSaver, for a monthly subscription of £2.50 and £5.00 respectively.

(Prices are subject to change but are correct at time of announcement.)

Truphone Business is available from BlackBerry resellers throughout the UK. For more information, to be put in touch with a reseller in your area, or to request a free trial of Truphone Business, email business@truphone.com.

Truphone Local Anywhere™ takes the pain out of international mobile communications

New service aims to make every call local

Truphone™ today announced plans to launch, later this year, Truphone Local Anywhere™: 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 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 per cent savings on roaming charges when visiting other countries;
• no roaming surcharges to receive calls in most major destinations;
• TruFriends™ – 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 an international lifestyle
The Truphone Local Anywhere service is designed to meet the needs of people living an international lifestyle, such as:

• travel industry workers such as airline cabin crew, cruise ship workers and 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.

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Additional resources

• Truphone website
• Geraldine Wilson (Flickr)
• Truphone photos (Flickr)

Truphone, Truphone Local Anywhere and TruFriends are trademarks of Software Cellular Network Ltd.

Truphone adds PayPal to credit top-up options

Truphone today added PayPal to the list of ways in which its customers can easily add credit to their Truphone accounts.

Payments may already be made with a variety of credit and debit cards, but the addition of PayPal now makes it easy for people who don’t have such accounts to benefit from Truphone’s low priced calling rates to more than 200 countries around the globe.

Customers can already easily top-up [refill their credit] while on the move, via either handset screen-optimised web pages or an automated IVR (Interactive Voice Response) based telephone top-up service, as well as via the Truphone Web site (customer management page).

“As Truphone adds more new offerings to our suite of mobile services we wanted to increase the convenience factor for consumers by expanding the number of ways they can pay for those services,” said Geraldine Wilson, Truphone CEO.

She continued: “With PayPal we found not only a payment processing service provider, but also an addressable community that matched up very nicely to the typical Truphone customer.”

Customers may also set their account to 'auto top-up' so their credit is refilled when credit has fallen to a specified level.

[ends]

Additional resources

• Truphone website
• Geraldine Wilson (alternative picture)
• Truphone photos (Flickr)

PayPal is a trademark of PayPal, Inc. Truphone is a trademark of Software Cellular Network Ltd. All other brands, product names, company names, trademarks and service marks are the properties of their respective owners.