December 15, 2008 08:37 ET

Talkster Software Enables Innovation and New Revenue Opportunities for MVNOs and Media Companies

New Mobile Application From Talkster Delivers Cutting-Edge Voice, Text and Multimedia Communications Service While Creating New Revenue Opportunities for Mobile Operators, Media Companies and Online Communities

TORONTO--(Marketwire - December 15, 2008) - Talkster (www.Talkster.com), the company delivering online communities instant mobile voice and text communications, today announced a new mobile application that eliminates the need to rely on carrier infrastructure to deliver new voice, text and multimedia services to mobile subscribers. Called talki™, this white label application not only allows companies to offer compelling services to their customers through a branded mobile interface, the multifaceted business model creates new opportunities for revenue and marketing.

The economic downturn is forcing carriers around the world to cut back on capital expenditures (capex) slowing the pace of deployment for new services. A recent report from the industry analyst ABI Research sees capex investments falling off 7 percent in 2009 while analysts at investment bank UBI predicts capex spending will be reduced 10 percent or more in the next year. Businesses reliant on carrier infrastructure may face additional churn in an already price competitive market.

"Telecommunications services are becoming increasingly commoditized and with phone number portability, subscribers are less inclined to remain loyal to their service providers," said James Wanless, COO of Talkster. "With retail prices for basic wireless services reaching a floor in most markets, a door has opened for providing new features that can stem subscriber churn. But being at the mercy of carriers forced to cut back on innovation during the economic slowdown for new services may keep companies at a competitive disadvantage for an unknown number of years. Talki lets MVNOs deliver innovative new services at the device level, completely bypassing the dependence on carrier infrastructure. At the same time media companies can use talki for expanding their brand to the mobile channel without the need to experiment with becoming their own MVNO."

The talki application enables a compelling voice, text and multimedia service that lowers usage fees for wireless communications. The more people use talki, the more they save money. Talkster built healthy margins into the offer by combining advertising subsidies together with a recurring revenue subscription. This multifaceted business model gives MVNOs the ability to create new recurring revenue streams while staying competitive with new features. Media companies will be more interested in using talki as a mobile branding tool without being required to invest in infrastructure or manage network services.

Talki runs on the same Talkster network that has connected millions of high-quality voice calls for the company's Free World Dialing™ service launched in October 2007. Offered as either a hosted or managed service, Talkster can have a fully branded white label customer up and running in four weeks. The talki service includes a complete portal with tools for managing subscribers, subscription packages, advertising campaigns and monitoring usage statistics. This software-based approach allows partners to benefit from Talkster's continuing innovation and easily deliver new, cutting-edge communications services and features independent of carrier capabilities and without the need for capex investments.

Talki is built in Java Micro Edition (Java ME, commonly referred to as J2ME), the most ubiquitous application platform for mobile devices, currently supported by billions of phones around the world, meaning that users won't have to upgrade their mobile phones to use the talki application. The installation process is quick and easy, taking less than five minutes, and can be done either through a mobile website directly to the mobile phone or initiated by computer with the download link sent via SMS text message.

Talki is being introduced with unlimited text and picture messaging between talki clients together with a mobile-optimized service for connecting long distance and international calls over the Talkster network for the cost of a local call. Talki comes bundled with SMS text messages that can be sent to any mobile handset in the world, which means that users won't have to have friends using the talki service to save money. They already save money based on talki's suggested retail price. Talki delivers Talkster's long distance and international calling and advanced messaging services from application to application, providing partner companies an excellent viral marketing tool.

Talki is available immediately in Canada, the United Kingdom, South Africa and Australia, though calls can be placed to any country in Talkster's network, today more than 35 countries and growing. Visit http://www.talkster.com/Countries.aspx for a complete list. Messaging services work on talki anywhere in the world as long as both sending and receiving phones have the talki application.

Over the first quarter of 2009 Talkster will be adding additional countries to support talki.

About Talkster

Talkster is revolutionizing communications with award-winning ad-supported and software-based technologies. Through its Free World Dialing™ service and talki™ mobile application Talkster is giving consumers highly affordable alternatives to long distance and international calling, plus text and picture messaging. Talkster's talki white label application allows companies to create new opportunities for revenue and marketing by offering customers compelling services delivered through a branded mobile interface. From your mobile phone visit http://free.talkster.com to start using Free World Dialing, and http://m.talki.me to download talki. For more information visit Talkster at www.Talkster.com.