Mobile VoIP service provider Truphone is on the rage, expanding to Australia as we speak. The company announced two things:
Their first press release (PDF) announces the acquisition of Startel Communications, which is a specialised mobile and fixed line telecommunications provider to Australian businesses and consumers. Truphone will take advantage of Startel’s large distribution network and an established sales team, as well as a call centre in Manila, from where the company will be providing customer support and telesale its offering to Australia and Asia Pacific.
In the other news item (PDF), Truphone talks about a strategic wholesale agreement which it entered with Optus, one of Australia’s leading telecommunications providers. Under the deal, Truphone will be able access the Optus’ national mobile network to deliver voice, data solutions and local mobile numbers in Australia for its newly launched Truphone Local Anywhere GSM service.
Both deals perfectly align to Truphone’s strategy to launch the Truphone Local Anywhere service in Australia in mid-2010.
And if you don’t know, Truphone Local Anywhere was launched in January of this year for the UK and US, providing users with local numbers and access to local rates for calls, texts and data in all countries where Truphone has operations, on a single SIM card. For those countries where Truphone does not have operator agreements, the service offers savings of up to 70% over normal roaming charges.