Nimbuzz Launches Mobile VoIP integrated with IM
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Nimbuzz, a relatively unknown Dutch company that claims to have got funding from Mangrove Partners, the original investors of Skype has launched an all-in-one solution for free mobile VoIP calling, conference calling, instant messaging, chat and group chat, and photo and file sending across multiple IM communities, including Skype, MSN, Google Talk, Yahoo!, AIM, Jabber and ICQ, plus 23 social networks, including Facebook and Myspace.
Once users download the Nimbuzz application for the mobile and register as a new user, contacts from their selected IM communities are aggregated into a single contact list with icons indicating real-time “presence” - which contacts are online or offline and from which communities. So it basically has an all in one IM platform – breaking the walled garden of chat – Meebo Style (Meebo founder on WATShow).
Nibuzz’s competition includes Fring and TruPhone. Fring has a similar array of services – integrated IM coupled with Mobile VoIP and has already had a few takers in India. The early adopters and geeky technologists swear by it. Fring, they say is the new Skype and more. Nimbuzz hopes to be that to a large market as well. TruPhone does not offer IM. Skype is out with a mobile version as well.
There’s a mobile application, a PC client and a Widget for Social Networks such as Orkut, MySpace and Facebook. So you can effectively make a call or SMS from within your Social Network or through your PC and also through the mobile ofcourse.
“Everyone loves Skype (on the PC). But when it comes to the mobile, we believe we offer a better solution,” said Tariq Dag Steinberg Khan, the London-based Chief Marketing Officer for Nimbuzz. “Nimbuzz works across all the major communities and on more than 500 handsets worldwide. With this news release, we now also have a genuine free mobile VoIP solution that works on more than 90 handsets including Nokia, Samsung and LG.”
The new Nimbuzz mobile VoIP application works worldwide on Nokia Symbian Series 60 devices when connected using a 3G or Wifi network (with a Windows Mobile offering for release in June). For GPRS/EDGE connections, or when using Java-enabled phones, Nimbuzz also offers its “hybrid-VoIP” solution (as used by Skype) – for making international mobile calls at local dial-in cost – in as many as 50 countries.
Nimbuzz is free to download and easy-to-use, but data usage is subject to network operator rates when used on the mobile, unless using a flat-rate data plan.
“The good news is that mobile data costs are coming down dramatically. Flat-rate data plans didn’t exist last year (in Europe), now they’re everywhere. This makes using Nimbuzz the closest thing to free communication there is,” explains Tariq. “Apps like Nimbuzz are accelerating the uptake of mobile data plans. This is a big win for consumers and network operators alike, and as such, a big focus (for them going forward). As a result, we are in the process of building some important win-win relationships with forward-thinking operators and strategic partners”
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