Truphone launches MVNO operations

One time enemy of the carrier community, internet telephony player Truphone has struck an MVNO partnership with Vodafone UK to bring voice and data services to its UK customer base.

Truphone said the partnership is the first of many worldwide, as part of the launch of Truphone’s Local Anywhere initiative, a global SIM based mobile service. Similar wholesale partnerships are being put together in other key travel destinations around the world in time for launch and rollout throughout Europe and longer haul destinations such as Australia, Hong Kong and South Africa in 2010, the company said.

The deal will give Truphone customers local rates in countries where the company has wholesale partnerships, as well as giving them local mobile numbers for those countries all on a single SIM.

Using the service, a UK traveller in the US calling a local US number will pay 10p per minute, versus £1.37 per minute on a standard mobile operator rate. A local number also means that local incoming calls are also free, instead of being charged as roaming calls.

“Mobile charges are a pain point every time you go abroad,” said Geraldine Wilson, CEO of Truphone. “We aim to keep you local in top travel destinations around the world, starting with the US and UK, so you can make calls at local rates and your friends, family and colleagues can reach you on a local mobile number.”