Can you tell us more about your service?
Vopium allows you to save 40-90% when making international calls or sending SMS from your mobile – and this without changing your current operator or SIM-card. You pay your mobile provider for a local call and Vopium for the international add-on.It take users a few minutes to register at Vopium. You just download and install the Vopium software, and you are ready to "reach the world for less".
Vopium is a free software program installed on your mobile phone. When you make an international call, Vopium re-routes your call as a local call to a Vopium gateway and then via premium global traffic carriers to ensure top-notch voice quality. You pay your mobile provider for a local call and Vopium for the international add-on.When you send a text message (SMS) with Vopium the message is sent as a small data package over your data connection (GPRS, 3G or Wifi) via a Vopium gateway. You pay your operator next to nothing for using your data connection and Vopium for the international SMS.
Technology:
The core of Vopium`s product is a software program that is installed on a mobile phone from all major producers such as Nokia, Sony-Ericsson, Samsung, HTC and Motorola and Iphone. It takes less than a minute to download and install the program, which works on most of the newer phones. The program is seamless, runs in the background and when you are making an international call you will be asked if you wish to use Vopium. Vopium also supports voip over WiFi, and conversation between two vopium wifi phones is free! If you choose to make the call through Vopium you will pay the domestic tariff along with a tariff for the call abroad, which is up to 90 % cheaper than what the regular mobile operator are charging. This is because Vopium automatically transfers the call to a much cheaper line of the same quality. Talk time can be purchased on the internet and can be paid with all major credit card.
What is your business model?
Vopium makes money on outgoing international minutes and international SMS.
When a user makes an international call, Vopium software routes the international call as a local call to Vopium. Vopium charge for the international part of the call. Vopium charge per minute at rates similar to Skype-out dependent on destination)
When the user send an SMS, the SMS is sent as a data package. Vopium charge 10 Eurocent per SMS independent of destination.The service is pre-paid: The user top-up his account using credit card or paypal. Either on the web or directly from the mobile.Vopium initially provides users with 30free minutes and 100 free SMS to test the service.The registration, call and payment processes are fully automated to ensure a very cost effective solution.However, for users requiring personal assistance Vopium also provides customer phone support in English, French, Spanish, Italian and German
What are the projects, additional features you’re preparing?
Messenger services, Contacts/Calendar synchronization, Media/picture sharing
What are the current users’ feedback, your learning’s on the service’s usage?
We are overwhelmed so far from positive userfeedback. Our biggest challenge, is though still having the users to download and install the program. But when users has overcome this step, they are very happy about how easy it is to use Vopium. Vopium does what "calling cards" used to do, and users don’t have to do anything else, than call via the phone like they are used to.