Social Newsroom

Rebtel Wins Mobile VoIP Shootout

Stockholm, Sweden – June 26, 2008 – Rebtel, the people’s global communications company, was consistently the low-price leader among 15 companies compared side by side in a new report just released by Technology Appraisals Limited, an independent market research and publishing company based in London.

On the world’s most heavily trafficked calling corridors Rebtel’s per minute rates beat Jajah, EQO, Mig33, Mobivox, and Truphone, to name just few of the better known companies the study compared.  Rebtel’s standard rates quoted in the study, entitled Low Cost & Mobile VoIP, also beat market leaders not included, such as Skype, Reliance and Stana Card.

“Low rates combined with the most reliable and clear connections are what bring customers to Rebtel, but the reason people use our services day in and day out is to stay connected with their loved ones,” said Hjalmar Winbladh, Rebtel co-founder and CEO.  “That’s what Rebtel is really all about – and why 97 percent of our customers recommend Rebtel.”

According to the Technology Appraisals’ research at least 30 new companies, and possibly as many as 50, have appeared in recent years offering low cost mobile calling.
“We believe the new (mobile) sector is here to stay,” the report states.  “The big question is how much market share will the established operators allow new players, or be forced to concede by regulators and user demand.”

Founded in 2006, Stockholm-based Rebtel was established to give people around the world an alternative to mobile operators’ rip-off rates for making international calls.

“We started Rebtel because none of the mobile operators were on the side of the customer,” said Winbladh. “Now, many of the companies in Technology Appraisals’ research, as well as others, have started copying Rebtel’s method for making low-cost mobile calls, but they still can’t beat us when it comes to reliable quality and reliably low rates.”

A Rebtel account can be set up in just a minute or two at www.rebtel.com.
The Rebtel service works with any mobile phone just the way it is, and works with all mobile operators. There is no charge to set up a Rebtel account.  And all new comers get a free 10 minute call to test the service.

After an account is set up subscribers only pay for the minutes they use.  Smart Calls between the 47 countries served by Rebtel are always free and only one of the two people on a call must be a Rebtel subscriber.

By: Ola Sundqvist, June 27th, 2008 Tags: eqo, hjalmar winbladh, jajah, mig33, mobivox, reliance, stana card, Technology Appraisals Limited, truphone

Rebtel parle le Français

Paris – June 23, 2008 – In spirit of quatorze juillet, and in honor of the brave Parisians who stormed the Bastille in 1789, starting today all services of Rebtel will now be available in French at www.rebtel.com/fr.

Rebtel is the global communications company that makes it possible to use your mobile phone to call any phone, anywhere in the world for just a few cents per minute.

“If you want to use your mobile phone to stay in touch with loved ones or business colleagues abroad, and you’re sick of the operators’ crazy rates or the calling card rip offs, try Rebtel,” said Arnaud Beauregard, who is setting up Rebtel operations in France. “With more than 5 million immigrants from around the world living here, and large French expat communities in the U.S., U.K., Germany, Belgium and Canada, we think France and Rebtel is a match made in heaven.”

Founded in 2006, Stockholm-based Rebtel was established to give consumers worldwide an alternative to mobile operators’ outrageous rates for making international calls.

“We started Rebtel because none of the mobile operators were on the side of the customer,” said Hjalmar Winbladh, Rebtel co-founder and CEO. “All that the operators care about is squeezing customers to maximize revenue and profit. We’ve come to find that calling cards are no better. They may charge less, but you never get what you pay for. But it doesn’t have to be that way. Just ask any of Rebtel’s customers around the world.”

With Rebtel, calls to most European countries or the U.S. cost as little as 0.01 € a minute, compared to the 0.50 € to 0.80 € per minute with most mobile operators.
And for the Maghrebian French community, savings are even more impressive. For example, a call to Algeria costs 0.12 € per minute with Rebtel, compared to 0.60 to 2.00 € per minute with most mobile carriers.

A Rebtel account can be set up in just a minute or two.
The service works with any mobile phone just the way it is, and works with all mobile operators. There is no charge to set up a Rebtel account. And all new comers get a free 10 minute call to test the service.
After an account is set up subscribers only pay for the minutes they use. Smart Calls between the 47 countries served by Rebtel are always free and only one of the two people on a call must be a Rebtel subscriber.

By: Ola Sundqvist, June 26th, 2008 Tags: Arnaud Beauregard, Rebtel Partners

Rebtel Names EthnikPR Agency of Record To Reach South Asian American Consumers

Stockholm, Sweden / San Francisco – June 19, 2008 – Rebtel, the people’s global communication company, today announced it selected EthnikPR as its public relations agency of record to target the growing South Asian American consumer. EthnikPR, an award winning hybrid PR agency and marketing boutique, has rapidly grown to become the ‘go-to’ agency for brands looking to reach Indian, Sri Lankan, Pakistani and Bangladeshi Americans.

“Rebtel is a communication revolution and we look carefully to partner with like-minded innovators like EthnikPR,” said Hjalmar Winbladh, CEO of Rebtel. “Their ideas, execution and track record in reaching the South Asian consumer are both refreshing and reflective of a new generation of marketing leadership.”

Rebtel offers low-cost international calling on landlines and mobile phones, with especially low rates from the United States to countries such as India, Pakistan, Sri Lanka and Bangladesh. Rebtel’s service is currently very popular in Europe, and now Rebtel users in the U.S. can make calls to India for as low as five cents a minute. Rebtel’s service is a tenth of the cost of some services.

“With high gas and food prices, and an unstable economy, people are looking to save where possible and that starts with outrageous international phone call rates,” said Vijay Chattha, Chief Talker of EthnikPR and its parent agency. “It’s great to see a company like Rebtel deliver an important communication service that is as cheap as making a call in your own city.”

By: Alex Drewniak, June 19th, 2008

Rebtel Partners with easyGroup to Offer Mobile VoIP Services to UK Consumers

London – June 12, 2008 – Rebtel, the people’s global communications company, today announced a brand licensing agreement with easyGroup that will allow Rebtel to increase its presence in the UK and reach new markets for its mobile VoIP services.

easyGroup is the business of easyJet founder and serial entrepreneur Sir Stelios Haji-Ioannou.

Under the agreement, Rebtel-powered services for making low cost international phone calls from any mobile phone, over any UK network, will be sold and marketed on easyGroup’s www.easyMobile.com web site.

Rebtel’s mobile VoIP services offered by easyMobile will be compatible with any mobile phone without modification, is quick to set-up, and work with consumers’ existing contracts with their UK operators.

Terms of the brand license agreement between easyGroup and Rebtel were not disclosed.

“Making international calls using traditional mobile phone operators is no longer the most cost effective and efficient way of staying in touch,” said Anthony Robb-John, Managing Director of easyGroup IP. “Mobile VoIP works and is easy to use. There is a big market for this kind of service to and from the UK.”

There are at least 5.5million British-born people living abroad, and more than 1million non-British EU citizens living in the UK. In London alone, one in three people were born abroad, and at least another 10,000 foreign-born citizens are settling in London each month.

“Sir Stelios and easyGroup are our kind of partners,” said Hjalmar Winbladh, co-founder and CEO of Rebtel, based in Stockholm, Sweden. “They want to make a difference in people’s lives. They offer services for the many, not the few. They take on the big boys in the market and treasure relentless innovation. And most importantly they’re open and honest. Those are all values that Rebtel was built on.”

By: Ola Sundqvist, June 12th, 2008 Tags: easyMobile, Rebtel Partners, VoIP

Still Free: Rebtel Maintains Free Calling Service Between 47 Countries

Stockholm, Sweden – June 11, 2008 – MOBIVOX is out. So is Truphone. But Rebtel, the first mobile VoIP company, is staying true to itself, its roots, and its customers.
Free calling between 47 countries is alive and well at Rebtel. No strings attached. No restrictions. And, no compromise on quality.

“It true that most of our customers choose our paid service,” said Hjalmar Winbladh, Rebtel co-founder and CEO. “And we don’t deny that our free calling service requires people to jump through a hoop or two. But if free is what matters to you, then give us a try. It’s really not hard to do – in fact, we think it’s kind of fun.”

Founded in early 2006, Rebtel was created to give consumers worldwide an alternative to mobile operators’ outrageous charges for making international calls.

“We started Rebtel because none of the mobile operators were on the side of the customer,” said Winbladh. “All that the operators cared about was locking people into rip-off contracts and then squeezing them to maximize revenue and profit. But it doesn’t have to be that way. On a fraction of what the mobile operators charge, Rebtel is now tripling in size every three months in terms of new customers, revenue and minutes carried. Join us!”

By: Ola Sundqvist, June 11th, 2008 Tags: hjalmar winbladh, rebtel