By Craig Zammit
MELBOURNE: Freshtel Holdings has declared its intentions to enter into a strategic partnership with Effortel, a European Mobile Virtual Network Enabler (MVNE), with the partnership to work towards allowing retailers to set-up their own telecommunications service.
Effortel’s technical platform and business solution enables retailers to offer telecommunications services under their own brand name, becoming what is known as a Mobile Virtual Network Operator (MVNO).
“The partnership will have benefit for both parties; Effortel provides a strong foothold into the European market and our leading edge technology will assist Effortel and their clients to remain on the cutting edge of mobile solutions,” said Freshtel acting CEO, Peter Warner.
With a Letter Of Intent (LOI) already signed, allowing the parties to commence business planning for the converged mobile service, the partnership will also allow consumers to make mobile calls over the internet.
Freshtel and Effortel will now look to establish an alliance agreement to offer both the Freshtel whitelabel service and a collectively managed Freshtel and Effortel converged solution to Carrefour – the world’s second largest retailer.
“Effortel will be a valuable strategic partner and this LOI is an important step in moving forward our initial discussions with Carrefour,” said Warner.
Carrefour represents Effortel’s largest customer, but with a similar service now potentially poised to hit the Australian market, the opportunities for retailers will increasingly become apparent.
“Ongoing, Effortel will assist in creating further market opportunities for our converged mobile technology and whitelabel solutions.
“This represents a significant step forward, and one that we have been able to accelerate now that our founder, Michael Carew, is focused on business development,” he said.