Vyke, the mobile Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) service provider, has today released a new version of its Vyke Pro software. The upgrade to the software now allows mobile phone users with limited-access mobile internet service to send and receive free text messages. The upgrade is offered for free to all Vyke users and, to maintain continuing service, users are asked to upgrade prior to October 1st, 2007.
Vyke Pro is a downloadable programme that is compatible with all recent Java enabled handsets. It offers UK mobile users the opportunity to drastically reduce the exorbitant charges they are currently paying for conventional text messaging by using its smart message routing technology. This allows Vyke Pro users to send free text messages to other Vyke Pro users around the world, or to send normal text messages to non Vyke Pro users for as little as 1p per message.
Vyke recognizes that a key part of text messaging's appeal is due to its always-on-time delivery of messages to the recipient. Vyke has therefore incorporated its "wake up" technology into Vyke Pro, which allows Vyke to remotely start a user's Vyke Pro software, and deliver an incoming message to it, when receiving a message from another Vyke Pro user. This important feature allows Vyke Pro to provide the same always-on-time delivery of messages, but at dramatically reduced cost.
Most UK consumers think of text messaging as the cheapest and easiest way to communicate, with a typical cost for a standard 160 character text message of approximately 12p. When that cost is broken down and related to the actual amount of data being sent, the true cost of texting is revealed. Every character sent in a text message equates to 1 byte of data. When translating this into a per Megabyte cost, it becomes clear just how expensive it is in the UK to send text messages, with consumers paying approximately £750 per MB.
Aaron Powers, VP of Business Development said, "Vyke is very pleased to be able to offer Vyke Pro and its free text messaging service to consumers currently hampered by limited access mobile internet service. The Vyke team feels that the 12p a typical UK consumer is paying for a text message is simply exorbitant. With the new release of Vyke Pro, we are able to offer significantly expanded access to our service and provide consumers with a viable alternative to the price gouging that occurs with conventional text messaging."
This upgrade to Vyke Pro is the first of two accessibility-oriented software upgrades to be introduced by Vyke. Vyke Pro, with its primary service as free text messaging, can now be used by Vyke customers that suffer from limited mobile internet access offered by their mobile service provider. The second software upgrade, due to be launched in the coming month for Microsoft-based mobile phones and soon thereafter for Symbian-based handsets, provides full mobile VoIP functionality to WiFi enabled mobile handsets that either do not have inherent VoIP capabilities or have had their VoIP functionality intentionally removed by incumbent mobile operators. With this upgrade to the Vyke Mobile IP software, Vyke will be providing access to low cost or free mobile voice services to a large number of UK consumers that currently have compatible mobile phones, but are unable to access mobile VoIP due to software restrictions.