International mobile operator, AwayPhone, has acquired US-based telecoms company, GlobalFon which, according to AwayPhone, strengthens the company's global reach, broadens its partner channel and is a major milestone in its growth strategy.
Established in 1991 via a joint venture between Sprint International and France Telecom, GlobalFon has evolved to become the provider of low cost international telecoms services to global business travellers. Headquartered in Washington, it has offices in Australia, Brazil and Japan. The company has around 20 core distributor partners and 40,000 customers, including Coca Cola, Deloitte, Microsoft and Shell.
AwayPhone launched its first product in autumn 2006 with the objectives of providing international mobile services denied by major operators, and driving worldwide roaming costs to zero. Customers can save up to 90 percent on international calls and are given a local number in the region visited to assist with building business relationships. Ranked in the '50 to Watch in Mobile' by 02 and Real Business magazine in 2007 , the company continues to focus on harnessing technology to optimise its offerings.This strategy was reinforced last week with the launch of its new global SIM product that offers customers some of the best roaming rates on the market and enhances partners' revenue-generating opportunities.
Sherry Madera, CEO of AwayPhone (pictured above), commented: "This business deal is a strategic 'fit' for both companies, and therefore good news all round.GlobalFon has an impressive customer base and well-developed distribution channel which complements AwayPhone's service, growing partner network and market-leading technology. The move is also an appropriate culmination of our first year of trading during which we have continually pushed the boundaries to develop our offering and explore tactics to ensure it is widely available on a global basis.
Chris Wixom, CEO of GlobalFon, added: GlobalFon's objective is to provide affordable international mobile services. AwayPhone's technically sophisticated product will ensure that our wide range of customers benefit from the high standard of service that they have come to expect. In additional it offers our distributors a value-add service that assists them develop addition revenue streams.