Truphone™ and Optus enter strategic wholesale agreement
Truphone extends its Truphone Local Anywhere footprint to Australia
London, 3rd March 2010 – Truphone™, the next generation global mobile operator today announced a strategic wholesale agreement with Optus, a leading Australian telecommunications provider. The agreement will provide Truphone access to 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. Truphone plans to launch the local Australian service in mid 2010.
Truphone Local Anywhere, which launched in January 2010 for the UK and the US, makes it easier and more convenient for the international community to stay in touch while providing cost savings of up to 90% on standard international rates.
The service provides consumers 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, Truphone Local Anywhere offers savings of up to 70% over normal roaming charges.
The partnership with the Australian mobile operator Optus makes Australia the third Truphone country to be announced as part of Truphone Local Anywhere’s global roll out. Similar partnerships are being put together in other key travel destinations around the world.
Geraldine Wilson, CEO of Truphone said: “Truphone Local Anywhere is a truly groundbreaking service for people with an international lifestyle allowing them to ‘stay local’ as they travel the world. Australia has five million people travelling in and out of the country each year – and with over 1.3 million UK expats living in Australia and 100,000 Australians over in the UK, this is a key market for Truphone. Our partnership with Optus will give our customers access to what we believe is the best quality GSM network in the country.”
Vicki Brady, Managing Director of Optus Wholesale and Satellite said this deal demonstrates Optus’ continued leadership and innovation in the mobile wholesale market.
“We look forward to the entry of Truphone with a new tailored solution as a Mobile Virtual Network Operator (MVNO). “Using Optus’ operational expertise and the reach of the Optus mobile network combined with the Truphone Local Anywhere service this new mobile offering will be a strong addition when it is launched into the market,” Ms Brady said.
Truphone Local Anywhere is a single-SIM, multi-country mobile service. Users can make and receive calls via a local number and at a local price, in any Truphone country.