Nimbuzz, a mobile instant messaging, presence and VoIP provider, has announced the addition 17 SIP partners to its global Operator Affiliate Programme. The programme brings mobile social networking, presence and instant messaging capabilities to carriers whilst maintaining control of their own customer relationships.
By joining the Nimbuzz Operator Affiliate Programme and integrating its VoIP offering with Nimbuzz, partners have the opportunity to provide customers with mobile communication and social networking value added services at a substantially accelerated speed to market and without incurring additional overhead costs. Operators and SIP providers joining the Nimbuzz affiliate programme will also benefit from new revenue streams and exposure to the community of Nimbuzz subscribers in over 200 countries.
Partners will promote Nimbuzz to its customers by placing permanent banners on their websites from which customers can instantly register and download the Nimbuzz service to their mobile phone and PC.
For existing Nimbuzz users the enhanced feature set and additional call networks will be seamlessly integrated into their mobile and PC interfaces, allowing them to use Nimbuzz for instant messaging and cheap (international) VoIP calls to landlines and mobile phones.
Nimbuzz CEO Evert Jaap Lugt commented: "We see these partnerships providing real value to operators looking to increase ARPU and offer their customers full access to IM and social networks without the risk and costs associated with setting this up themselves. This is also an open call to other operators looking to join. We will be announcing new partners soon."
Services such as Nimbuzz that are using the mobile internet are increasing the uptake in data plan sales for operators. According to Chetan Sharma Consulting, in the U.S., data revenues reached $8.2 billion in Q2 2008, or about 21% of total wireless-services revenue. This compares to spending of $5.85 billion, or 17% of total services, for the same period in 2007. That data jump increased ARPU by 50 cents, comfortably offsetting a 5 cent decline in voice ARPU.
The new SIP partners operate networks worldwide and will act as session carriers for Nimbuzz users making VoIP calls to mobile phones, and landlines via their mobile or PC.