Vopium
Encyclopedia
Vopium is a software-based provider of free and low-cost international mobile communication via VoIP and Wi-Fi
technology. Vopium offers a free application that can be downloaded directly to mobile phones to enable cheap international mobile phone calls and Short message service
(SMS) text messaging, saving up to 90 percent on traditional international mobile and landline calls. Vopium automatically integrates with the user’s address book so that when they dial an international number, Vopium automatically detects the least expensive way to make the call, taking into account the user’s location and whether the person being called is also a Vopium user. The software works independently of a SIM card or subscriber’s mobile network operator. Additional features include synchronization, webSMS, call back, and just dial. Vopium works on more than 900 different GSM mobile handsets from 45 countries.
Vopium was founded in Copenhagen
in 2006 by entrepreneurs Tanveer Sharif, Imran Sadiq, and Brian Sussemiehl. Vopium has more than 100 employees across offices in Copenhagen
, Denmark
, Luxembourg
, and Lahore
, Pakistan
. Vopium is listed on NYSE Euronext Paris.
, BlackBerry
, Android, Symbian OS, Java (programming language)
and Windows Mobile
from manufacturers that include Research In Motion
, HTC Corporation, Apple Inc., Motorola
, Nokia
, Samsung Electronics
and Sony Ericsson
.
Vopium is transparent to the user, running in the background on the mobile phone and automatically prompting users regarding whether they want to route a call using Vopium technology once an international number is dialed. If the user chooses to use Vopium to complete the call, Vopium re-routes the call as a local call to a Vopium gateway and then via global traffic carriers as ordinary voice traffic in order to ensure the voice quality. The user is billed for a local call by their mobile network operator and by Vopium for the international call completion.
When sending an SMS, the message is converted into data and sent as a data package using the built-in data connection (GPRS, 3G or Wi-Fi) on the mobile phone over the Vopium-owned gateway. The cost to send an SMS is the fee for the data connection to the local operator and the SMS rate charged to Vopium for the international SMS.
Vopium’s technology has been described as “Smart VoIP” and recognized as unique and innovative by industry analyst firm Frost & Sullivan as a result of the company’s focus on high-quality, low-cost, global mobile communications that has resulted in high customer satisfaction and retention rates.
In Feb 2010, Vopium launched its VoIP and Messaging solution as a white label and in March 2010, the first white label partner, Convergia Networks Inc was announced. Vopium currently enable two white label partners: CVMobile and Tel4less .
In June 2010 Vopium has expanded its group of owners to include the international telecommunications investor Raghuvinder Kataria. Raghuvinder Kataria invested 16.5 million dollar to secure Vopium’s international expansion.
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...
technology. Vopium offers a free application that can be downloaded directly to mobile phones to enable cheap international mobile phone calls and Short message service
Short message service
Short Message Service is a text messaging service component of phone, web, or mobile communication systems, using standardized communications protocols that allow the exchange of short text messages between fixed line or mobile phone devices...
(SMS) text messaging, saving up to 90 percent on traditional international mobile and landline calls. Vopium automatically integrates with the user’s address book so that when they dial an international number, Vopium automatically detects the least expensive way to make the call, taking into account the user’s location and whether the person being called is also a Vopium user. The software works independently of a SIM card or subscriber’s mobile network operator. Additional features include synchronization, webSMS, call back, and just dial. Vopium works on more than 900 different GSM mobile handsets from 45 countries.
Vopium was founded in Copenhagen
Copenhagen
Copenhagen is the capital and largest city of Denmark, with an urban population of 1,199,224 and a metropolitan population of 1,930,260 . With the completion of the transnational Øresund Bridge in 2000, Copenhagen has become the centre of the increasingly integrating Øresund Region...
in 2006 by entrepreneurs Tanveer Sharif, Imran Sadiq, and Brian Sussemiehl. Vopium has more than 100 employees across offices in Copenhagen
Copenhagen
Copenhagen is the capital and largest city of Denmark, with an urban population of 1,199,224 and a metropolitan population of 1,930,260 . With the completion of the transnational Øresund Bridge in 2000, Copenhagen has become the centre of the increasingly integrating Øresund Region...
, Denmark
Denmark
Denmark is a Scandinavian country in Northern Europe. The countries of Denmark and Greenland, as well as the Faroe Islands, constitute the Kingdom of Denmark . It is the southernmost of the Nordic countries, southwest of Sweden and south of Norway, and bordered to the south by Germany. Denmark...
, Luxembourg
Luxembourg
Luxembourg , officially the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg , is a landlocked country in western Europe, bordered by Belgium, France, and Germany. It has two principal regions: the Oesling in the North as part of the Ardennes massif, and the Gutland in the south...
, and Lahore
Lahore
Lahore is the capital of the Pakistani province of Punjab and the second largest city in the country. With a rich and fabulous history dating back to over a thousand years ago, Lahore is no doubt Pakistan's cultural capital. One of the most densely populated cities in the world, Lahore remains a...
, Pakistan
Pakistan
Pakistan , officially the Islamic Republic of Pakistan is a sovereign state in South Asia. It has a coastline along the Arabian Sea and the Gulf of Oman in the south and is bordered by Afghanistan and Iran in the west, India in the east and China in the far northeast. In the north, Tajikistan...
. Vopium is listed on NYSE Euronext Paris.
Technology
Vopium supports more than 600 GSM handsets on platforms that include iPhoneIPhone
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...
, Android, Symbian OS, Java (programming language)
Java (programming language)
Java is a programming language originally developed by James Gosling at Sun Microsystems and released in 1995 as a core component of Sun Microsystems' Java platform. The language derives much of its syntax from C and C++ but has a simpler object model and fewer low-level facilities...
and Windows Mobile
Windows Mobile
Windows Mobile is a mobile operating system developed by Microsoft that was used in smartphones and Pocket PCs, but by 2011 was rarely supplied on new phones. The last version is "Windows Mobile 6.5.5"; it is superseded by Windows Phone, which does not run Windows Mobile software.Windows Mobile is...
from manufacturers that include Research In Motion
Research In Motion
Research In Motion Limited or RIM is a Canadian multinational telecommunications company headquartered in Waterloo, Ontario, Canada that designs, manufactures and markets wireless solutions for the worldwide mobile communications market...
, HTC Corporation, Apple Inc., Motorola
Motorola
Motorola, Inc. was an American multinational telecommunications company based in Schaumburg, Illinois, which was eventually divided into two independent public companies, Motorola Mobility and Motorola Solutions on January 4, 2011, after losing $4.3 billion from 2007 to 2009...
, Nokia
Nokia
Nokia Corporation is a Finnish multinational communications corporation that is headquartered in Keilaniemi, Espoo, a city neighbouring Finland's capital Helsinki...
, Samsung Electronics
Samsung Electronics
Samsung Electronics is a South Korean multinational electronics and information technology company headquartered in Samsung Town, Seoul...
and Sony Ericsson
Sony Ericsson
Sony Ericsson Mobile Communications AB is a joint venture established on October 1, 2001 by the Japanese consumer electronics company Sony Corporation and the Swedish telecommunications company Ericsson to manufacture mobile phones....
.
Vopium is transparent to the user, running in the background on the mobile phone and automatically prompting users regarding whether they want to route a call using Vopium technology once an international number is dialed. If the user chooses to use Vopium to complete the call, Vopium re-routes the call as a local call to a Vopium gateway and then via global traffic carriers as ordinary voice traffic in order to ensure the voice quality. The user is billed for a local call by their mobile network operator and by Vopium for the international call completion.
When sending an SMS, the message is converted into data and sent as a data package using the built-in data connection (GPRS, 3G or Wi-Fi) on the mobile phone over the Vopium-owned gateway. The cost to send an SMS is the fee for the data connection to the local operator and the SMS rate charged to Vopium for the international SMS.
Vopium’s technology has been described as “Smart VoIP” and recognized as unique and innovative by industry analyst firm Frost & Sullivan as a result of the company’s focus on high-quality, low-cost, global mobile communications that has resulted in high customer satisfaction and retention rates.
In Feb 2010, Vopium launched its VoIP and Messaging solution as a white label and in March 2010, the first white label partner, Convergia Networks Inc was announced. Vopium currently enable two white label partners: CVMobile and Tel4less .
In June 2010 Vopium has expanded its group of owners to include the international telecommunications investor Raghuvinder Kataria. Raghuvinder Kataria invested 16.5 million dollar to secure Vopium’s international expansion.