Spanish operators Joyn forces

Three Spanish operators have teamed up in an effort to combat the threat of OTT communication providers such as WhatsApp and Skype by launching the Joyn service to their subscribers. In doing so, Movistar, Orange and Vodafone have made Spain the first country to offer a cross-network offering of the operator-led communications solution.

Joyn is an initiative spearheaded by operator association GSMA that enables customers to chat and enrich messaging or voice calls by exchanging images or video simultaneously during calls with any member of their contact list, regardless of the user’s network. Additional services such as voice over IP (VoIP) and IP-video call are also set to be introduced in the near future.

“The GSMA is delighted that Joyn services are now available across Spain, giving customers a greater choice of communication possibilities without compromising the quality and security they have come to expect from their mobile operator,” said Michael O’Hara, chief marketing officer at the GSMA.

“This initial implementation of a new technology clearly required a major effort and strong leadership in the alignment of the ecosystem of manufacturers, developers and integrators, and operators. Consumers across the world will benefit from the leading efforts of these three operators in Spain.”

He added that by developing the solution for their customers, the Spanish operators have also been able to share their experience with other operators as part of the RCS programme, helping to reduce the time-to-market for the service.

Joyn services are now also available from individual operators in Germany and the US. “Further nationwide, cross-operator implementations are expected in Germany this year and in several other European countries during 2013,” added O’Hara.