Truphone
Encyclopedia
Tru is a mobile network that operates internationally. It has headquarters in London
, and offices in the United States
, Australia
, Hong Kong
, Philippines
, Spain
, the Netherlands
and Portugal
.
The company's main product is its GSM service, Tru, a SIM
based mobile service which offers customers standard local rates rather than roaming rates
in countries where the company has partnerships with local operators
.
The current list of countries where Tru customers pay only local rates for calls, texts and data are:
The service is not limited to the countries where Truphone has established local networks however, and the service works in and provides discounted roaming in over 220 countries.
of Truphone Ltd, formerly Software Cellular Network Ltd) was founded in 2006 by James Tagg, Alexander Straub
and Alistair Campbell.
The company re-launched as Tru in December 2010.
The company's core business focus is Tru (launched as Truphone Local Anywhere in January 2010), a GSM
SIM-based
mobile service which charges customers standard local rates rather than roaming rates in countries where the company has partnerships with local operators.
Tru was originally formed as a company which developed downloadable mobile VoIP
application
s for smartphone
s, using the integrated Wi-Fi connection
on the device. These offered two benefits: 1. Ability to make free or low cost calls on the mobile device in areas where there is weak or no GSM coverage; and 2. Ability to send Instant Messages to other networks.
The first application released was for Nokia devices. This was followed by applications for Apple iPhone
, BlackBerry
smartphones, Apple iPod Touch
, and Android devices and a softphone
application for desktop was launched in late 2010.
Tru's SIM based products are entirely separate to the Apps.
, Eden Ventures, Wellington Partners Venture Capital
, Independent News and Media, and Burda Digital Ventures
.
with patented technology which allows customers to have multiple country numbers and local rates for any or all of the countries where Tru has MVNO partnerships with local operators.
Tru is able to offer local rates for calls, texts and data through MVNO partnerships with local mobile operators. Currently those countries are the United Kingdom, United States and Australia but the company has announced MVNO wholesale partnerships in Hong Kong, Spain and the Netherlands.
Each pre-pay SIM comes with 1 phone number, additional numbers can be purchased for an extra monthly fee (currently $8/month). Business plans include 2 phone numbers as standard.
In addition to the roaming service, Tru offers mobile call and SMS recording service to financial institutions in the UK to comply with the mobile recording legislation from the Financial Services Authority
. The Tru mobile recording service is offered in partnership with Obsidian Wireless.
The Tru SIM allows more than one mobile subscriber identity
(IMSI) to be added onto the SIM
, so a user can have a number for every country Tru has a local partnership with.
Smart CLI
The Smart Caller Line Identification (Smart CLI) technology means that the most appropriate number is displayed on the phone of the person the Tru SIM user is calling.
Mobile recording
Tru’s voice and SMS recording is integrated within the network infrastructure. Recorded conversations can be stored in the cloud
or on site using integrated hardware and software solution from Obsidian Wireless.
----
application
(known as Tru App), a separate product to the Tru SIM, allows users to make calls over the internet
to landline and mobile phone contacts, and free calls to other Tru App users. Customers are also able to instant message contacts on other networks, such as Skype
or Windows Live
on selected devices.
The application is available as a free download and works on the following devices:
Text messages
can be sent from Tru app versions for the iPhone, iPod touch, iPad and Nokia; as well as Apple Mac OS, Windows and Linux.
Tru App supports a range of calling methods: calls over wired or wireless internet on Windows, Mac and Linux. It supports calls over Wi-Fi, 3G and call-through, depending on the platform. Call-through is called Tru Anywhere, which uses the local minutes of the user to connect the call to a local Tru server. The BlackBerry application from Tru uses this method of calling only.
Tru applications use the Session Initiation Protocol
open standard, which competes with other VoIP standards such as UMA and proprietary protocols such as the Skype protocol
.
It has been suggested that internet-based communications could be used without fear of interception. Truphone maintains, however, that it is governed by and complies with the same 'lawful intercept' laws as every other telecommunications company.
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
, and offices in the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
, Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
, Hong Kong
Hong Kong
Hong Kong is one of two Special Administrative Regions of the People's Republic of China , the other being Macau. A city-state situated on China's south coast and enclosed by the Pearl River Delta and South China Sea, it is renowned for its expansive skyline and deep natural harbour...
, Philippines
Philippines
The Philippines , officially known as the Republic of the Philippines , is a country in Southeast Asia in the western Pacific Ocean. To its north across the Luzon Strait lies Taiwan. West across the South China Sea sits Vietnam...
, Spain
Spain
Spain , officially the Kingdom of Spain languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Spain's official name is as follows:;;;;;;), is a country and member state of the European Union located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula...
, the Netherlands
Netherlands
The Netherlands is a constituent country of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, located mainly in North-West Europe and with several islands in the Caribbean. Mainland Netherlands borders the North Sea to the north and west, Belgium to the south, and Germany to the east, and shares maritime borders...
and Portugal
Portugal
Portugal , officially the Portuguese Republic is a country situated in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula. Portugal is the westernmost country of Europe, and is bordered by the Atlantic Ocean to the West and South and by Spain to the North and East. The Atlantic archipelagos of the...
.
The company's main product is its GSM service, Tru, a SIM
Subscriber Identity Module
A subscriber identity module or subscriber identification module is an integrated circuit that securely stores the International Mobile Subscriber Identity and the related key used to identify and authenticate subscriber on mobile telephony devices .A SIM is held on a removable SIM card, which...
based mobile service which offers customers standard local rates rather than roaming rates
Roaming
In wireless telecommunications, roaming is a general term referring to the extension of connectivity service in a location that is different from the home location where the service was registered. Roaming ensures that the wireless device is kept connected to the network, without losing the...
in countries where the company has partnerships with local operators
Mobile network operator
A mobile network operator , also known as mobile phone operator , carrier service provider , wireless service provider, wireless carrier, or cellular company, or mobile network carrier is a telephone company that provides services for mobile phone subscribers.One essential...
.
The current list of countries where Tru customers pay only local rates for calls, texts and data are:
- United Kingdom
- United States
- Australia
The service is not limited to the countries where Truphone has established local networks however, and the service works in and provides discounted roaming in over 220 countries.
History
Truphone (a trading nameTrade name
A trade name, also known as a trading name or a business name, is the name which a business trades under for commercial purposes, although its registered, legal name, used for contracts and other formal situations, may be another....
of Truphone Ltd, formerly Software Cellular Network Ltd) was founded in 2006 by James Tagg, Alexander Straub
Alexander Straub
Alexander Straub is an Internet and Telecom entrepreneur and investor.-Biography:Alexander Straub is a German born entrepreneur and European venture capitalist at London-based Straub Ventures and Cambridge -based Cambridge Accelerator Partners. He is a native of Darmstadt, Germany. Alexander...
and Alistair Campbell.
The company re-launched as Tru in December 2010.
The company's core business focus is Tru (launched as Truphone Local Anywhere in January 2010), a GSM
GSM services
GSM services are a standard collection of applications and features available to mobile phone subscribers all over the world. The GSM standards are defined by the 3GPP collaboration and implemented in hardware and software by equipment manufacturers and mobile phone operators...
SIM-based
Subscriber Identity Module
A subscriber identity module or subscriber identification module is an integrated circuit that securely stores the International Mobile Subscriber Identity and the related key used to identify and authenticate subscriber on mobile telephony devices .A SIM is held on a removable SIM card, which...
mobile service which charges customers standard local rates rather than roaming rates in countries where the company has partnerships with local operators.
Tru was originally formed as a company which developed downloadable mobile VoIP
Mobile VoIP
Mobile VoIP or simply mVoIP is an extension of mobility to a Voice over IP network. Two types of communication are generally supported: cordless/DECT/PCS protocols for short range or campus communications where all base stations are linked into the same LAN, and wider area communications using...
application
Application
Application may refer to:* Application for employment* Application software* Function application in mathematics and computer science...
s for smartphone
Smartphone
A smartphone is a high-end mobile phone built on a mobile computing platform, with more advanced computing ability and connectivity than a contemporary feature phone. The first smartphones were devices that mainly combined the functions of a personal digital assistant and a mobile phone or camera...
s, using the integrated Wi-Fi connection
Wi-Fi
Wi-Fi or Wifi, is a mechanism for wirelessly connecting electronic devices. A device enabled with Wi-Fi, such as a personal computer, video game console, smartphone, or digital audio player, can connect to the Internet via a wireless network access point. An access point has a range of about 20...
on the device. These offered two benefits: 1. Ability to make free or low cost calls on the mobile device in areas where there is weak or no GSM coverage; and 2. Ability to send Instant Messages to other networks.
The first application released was for Nokia devices. This was followed by applications for Apple iPhone
IPhone
The iPhone is a line of Internet and multimedia-enabled smartphones marketed by Apple Inc. The first iPhone was unveiled by Steve Jobs, then CEO of Apple, on January 9, 2007, and released on June 29, 2007...
, BlackBerry
BlackBerry
BlackBerry is a line of mobile email and smartphone devices developed and designed by Canadian company Research In Motion since 1999.BlackBerry devices are smartphones, designed to function as personal digital assistants, portable media players, internet browsers, gaming devices, and much more...
smartphones, Apple iPod Touch
IPod Touch
The iPod Touch is a portable media player, personal digital assistant, handheld game console, and Wi-Fi mobile device designed and marketed by Apple Inc. The iPod Touch adds the multi-touch graphical user interface to the iPod line...
, and Android devices and a softphone
Softphone
A softphone is a software program for making telephone calls over the Internet using a general purpose computer, rather than using dedicated hardware. Often a softphone is designed to behave like a traditional telephone, sometimes appearing as an image of a phone, with a display panel and buttons...
application for desktop was launched in late 2010.
Tru's SIM based products are entirely separate to the Apps.
Funding
Truphone has received investment from Straub VenturesAlexander Straub
Alexander Straub is an Internet and Telecom entrepreneur and investor.-Biography:Alexander Straub is a German born entrepreneur and European venture capitalist at London-based Straub Ventures and Cambridge -based Cambridge Accelerator Partners. He is a native of Darmstadt, Germany. Alexander...
, Eden Ventures, Wellington Partners Venture Capital
Wellington Partners Venture Capital
Wellington Partners is a pan-European venture capital firm with some € 800 million under management and offices in London, Munich and Zurich. The firm invests in young companies throughout Europe, mainly in the areas of technology, life sciences and digital media Wellington Partners is a...
, Independent News and Media, and Burda Digital Ventures
Hubert Burda Media
Hubert Burda Media is a German privately held, family-owned global media company with its origins in printing and magazine publishing. The company is headquartered in Offenburg and Munich, has additional main offices in Berlin and Hamburg and has more than 7400 employees...
.
Timeline
| 2006 |
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| 2007 |
Venture round A venture round is a type of funding round used for venture capital financing, by which startup companies obtain investment, generally from venture capitalists and other institutional investors. The availability of venture funding is among the primary stimuli for the development of new companies... High Court decision against T-Mobile
|
| 2008 |
Venture round A venture round is a type of funding round used for venture capital financing, by which startup companies obtain investment, generally from venture capitalists and other institutional investors. The availability of venture funding is among the primary stimuli for the development of new companies... ; Acquired SIM4travel SIM4travel acquisition
|
| 2009 |
|
| 2010 |
|
| 2011 |
|
Tru SIM
The Tru SIM is a standard GSM serviceGSM services
GSM services are a standard collection of applications and features available to mobile phone subscribers all over the world. The GSM standards are defined by the 3GPP collaboration and implemented in hardware and software by equipment manufacturers and mobile phone operators...
with patented technology which allows customers to have multiple country numbers and local rates for any or all of the countries where Tru has MVNO partnerships with local operators.
Tru is able to offer local rates for calls, texts and data through MVNO partnerships with local mobile operators. Currently those countries are the United Kingdom, United States and Australia but the company has announced MVNO wholesale partnerships in Hong Kong, Spain and the Netherlands.
Each pre-pay SIM comes with 1 phone number, additional numbers can be purchased for an extra monthly fee (currently $8/month). Business plans include 2 phone numbers as standard.
In addition to the roaming service, Tru offers mobile call and SMS recording service to financial institutions in the UK to comply with the mobile recording legislation from the Financial Services Authority
Financial Services Authority
The Financial Services Authority is a quasi-judicial body responsible for the regulation of the financial services industry in the United Kingdom. Its board is appointed by the Treasury and the organisation is structured as a company limited by guarantee and owned by the UK government. Its main...
. The Tru mobile recording service is offered in partnership with Obsidian Wireless.
Features
- Local rates in multiple countries
- Multiple Local Numbers on one mobile / SIM
- Smart CLI
- Works in 220 countries
- Call and SMS recording (optional, UK only)
Technology
Multi IMSIThe Tru SIM allows more than one mobile subscriber identity
International Mobile Subscriber Identity
An International Mobile Subscriber Identity or IMSI is a unique identification associated with all GSM and UMTS network mobile phone users. It is stored as a 64 bit field in the SIM inside the phone and is sent by the phone to the network...
(IMSI) to be added onto the SIM
Subscriber Identity Module
A subscriber identity module or subscriber identification module is an integrated circuit that securely stores the International Mobile Subscriber Identity and the related key used to identify and authenticate subscriber on mobile telephony devices .A SIM is held on a removable SIM card, which...
, so a user can have a number for every country Tru has a local partnership with.
Smart CLI
The Smart Caller Line Identification (Smart CLI) technology means that the most appropriate number is displayed on the phone of the person the Tru SIM user is calling.
Mobile recording
Tru’s voice and SMS recording is integrated within the network infrastructure. Recorded conversations can be stored in the cloud
Cloud computing
Cloud computing is the delivery of computing as a service rather than a product, whereby shared resources, software, and information are provided to computers and other devices as a utility over a network ....
or on site using integrated hardware and software solution from Obsidian Wireless.
Price plans
Tru currently offers two price plans:- Pre-pay service, which can be purchased online through the company website.
- Post-pay business solution available through the company's sales teams in the United Kingdom, United States and Australia.
Partnerships / MVNO agreements
Tru has MVNO agreements with operators in the UK, USA, Australia, Spain and the Netherlands which form a network of Tru countries where users can benefit from access to local network. Currently, the UK, USA and Australia are the countries in which local rates and numbers are available for all Tru SIM users.----
Tru App
Tru's VoIPVoice over IP
Voice over Internet Protocol is a family of technologies, methodologies, communication protocols, and transmission techniques for the delivery of voice communications and multimedia sessions over Internet Protocol networks, such as the Internet...
application
Application software
Application software, also known as an application or an "app", is computer software designed to help the user to perform specific tasks. Examples include enterprise software, accounting software, office suites, graphics software and media players. Many application programs deal principally with...
(known as Tru App), a separate product to the Tru SIM, allows users to make calls over the internet
Voice over IP
Voice over Internet Protocol is a family of technologies, methodologies, communication protocols, and transmission techniques for the delivery of voice communications and multimedia sessions over Internet Protocol networks, such as the Internet...
to landline and mobile phone contacts, and free calls to other Tru App users. Customers are also able to instant message contacts on other networks, such as Skype
Skype
Skype is a software application that allows users to make voice and video calls and chat over the Internet. Calls to other users within the Skype service are free, while calls to both traditional landline telephones and mobile phones can be made for a fee using a debit-based user account system...
or Windows Live
Windows Live Messenger
Windows Live Messenger is an instant messaging client created by Microsoft that is currently designed to work with Windows XP , Windows Vista, Windows 7, Windows Mobile, Windows CE, Xbox 360, Blackberry OS, iOS, Java ME, S60 on Symbian OS 9.x and Zune HD...
on selected devices.
The application is available as a free download and works on the following devices:
- Mobile devices:
- Apple iPhoneIPhoneThe iPhone is a line of Internet and multimedia-enabled smartphones marketed by Apple Inc. The first iPhone was unveiled by Steve Jobs, then CEO of Apple, on January 9, 2007, and released on June 29, 2007...
, iPod touchIPod touchThe iPod Touch is a portable media player, personal digital assistant, handheld game console, and Wi-Fi mobile device designed and marketed by Apple Inc. The iPod Touch adds the multi-touch graphical user interface to the iPod line...
, iPadIPadThe iPad is a line of tablet computers designed, developed and marketed by Apple Inc., primarily as a platform for audio-visual media including books, periodicals, movies, music, games, and web content. The iPad was introduced on January 27, 2010 by Apple's then-CEO Steve Jobs. Its size and...
; however, user reviews on Apple's App Store report that the Tru App does not work correctly with iOS 5. - BlackBerryBlackBerryBlackBerry is a line of mobile email and smartphone devices developed and designed by Canadian company Research In Motion since 1999.BlackBerry devices are smartphones, designed to function as personal digital assistants, portable media players, internet browsers, gaming devices, and much more...
smartphones (calls via WI-FI for BB not supported) - Mobile phones with Android OS
- NokiaNokiaNokia Corporation is a Finnish multinational communications corporation that is headquartered in Keilaniemi, Espoo, a city neighbouring Finland's capital Helsinki...
smartphones
- Apple iPhone
- Desktops and laptops:
- Computers with Apple Mac OS, Windows and LinuxLinuxLinux is a Unix-like computer operating system assembled under the model of free and open source software development and distribution. The defining component of any Linux system is the Linux kernel, an operating system kernel first released October 5, 1991 by Linus Torvalds...
- Computers with Apple Mac OS, Windows and Linux
Text messages
Text messaging
Text messaging, or texting, refers to the exchange of brief written text messages between fixed-line phone or mobile phone and fixed or portable devices over a network...
can be sent from Tru app versions for the iPhone, iPod touch, iPad and Nokia; as well as Apple Mac OS, Windows and Linux.
Tru App supports a range of calling methods: calls over wired or wireless internet on Windows, Mac and Linux. It supports calls over Wi-Fi, 3G and call-through, depending on the platform. Call-through is called Tru Anywhere, which uses the local minutes of the user to connect the call to a local Tru server. The BlackBerry application from Tru uses this method of calling only.
Tru applications use the Session Initiation Protocol
Session Initiation Protocol
The Session Initiation Protocol is an IETF-defined signaling protocol widely used for controlling communication sessions such as voice and video calls over Internet Protocol . The protocol can be used for creating, modifying and terminating two-party or multiparty sessions...
open standard, which competes with other VoIP standards such as UMA and proprietary protocols such as the Skype protocol
Skype Protocol
The Skype protocol is a proprietary Internet telephony network based on peer-to-peer architecture, used by Skype. The protocol's specifications have not been made publicly available by Skype and official applications using the protocol are closed-source....
.
It has been suggested that internet-based communications could be used without fear of interception. Truphone maintains, however, that it is governed by and complies with the same 'lawful intercept' laws as every other telecommunications company.
See also
- List of mobile network operators in the United Kingdom
- List of United States mobile phone companies
- List of mobile network operators in Australia
- GSM
- Subscriber Identity ModuleSubscriber Identity ModuleA subscriber identity module or subscriber identification module is an integrated circuit that securely stores the International Mobile Subscriber Identity and the related key used to identify and authenticate subscriber on mobile telephony devices .A SIM is held on a removable SIM card, which...
- Mobile virtual network operatorMobile virtual network operatorA mobile virtual network operator is a company that provides mobile phone services but does not have its own licensed frequency allocation of radio spectrum, nor does it necessarily have all of the infrastructure required to provide mobile telephone service...