No international roaming with Skuku [Exclusive interview]

One thing which is really annoying about VoIP is the inability to retain your number while making and receiving VoIP calls. Not having your number flashed on the screen is not a great idea. EIM Telecom, an Israel based company, is planning to change all this. The company has launched a product, Skuku, enabling users make and receive VoIP calls using their own cellular number. It is an interesting idea and is likely to have some influence on VoIP industry. We had the opportunity to have an exclusive interview with Mr. Lior Tzabari, VP Marketing at EIM Telecom, about Skuku. Find the interview excerpts below (my comments in italics).

Alok: For the benefit of the readers, can you provide an overview of your service?
Lior: We currently have two products, (1) Skuku stick, and (2) Skuku phone. [Skuku stick is a flash drive like device similar to Magicjack. Skuku phone is similar to a PC based IP phone]. Both are USB devices that allow you to use VoIP while using your own mobile number. Both the devices accept your existing SIM-card and convert your computer into a mobile phone. Skuku puts the power of VoIP into your SIM card. It allows you to keep your mobile number and pay only local rates [your home country] while making or receiving calls from your home country. With Skuku, you never pay any roaming charges!!!

Consider, for example, you are user from India and you have an Airtel (an Indian telecom firm) connection. You can use Skuku in two possible ways. When you are in India, you can use Skuku to make international calls at low IP rates. When you are out of India, you can use Skuku to make calls to India and receive calls from India, like you have never left India. You could also make low rate international calls when you are overseas. Further, Skuku to Skuku calls are always free, irrespective of the destination.

Alok: Can Skuku stick or phone use Wi-Fi?
Lior: The current Skuku hardware is not Wi-Fi enabled, but you will see Wi-Fi enabled Skuku devices in the near future.

Alok: Will users have to activate international roaming to use Skuku?
Lior: No, they do not have to do anything extra to use Skuku.

Alok: How do you achieve this feat?
Lior: Once the user puts in the SIM card in the Skuku device, the device reads the data on the SIM card and is able to communicate securely to the server in the home country. The server in the home country establishes contact with the telecom company in case of any calls and completes the connection.

Alok: What are the problems that Skuku solves for the customers?
Lior: Skuku provides the convenience of carrying your personal cellular number anywhere while eliminating the roaming charges associated with it. No other company offers such a solution at this point in time.

Alok: What are the charges for the Skuku service?
Lior: The hardware costs are €15 for the Skuku stick and €30 for Skuku phone. Users then have option to select between two plans. The monthly plan requires a one time activation fee of €30 and a monthly payment for €10 for unlimited usage.The annual plan is for €120 for unlimited usage.

We do not want our users to keep looking at their watches while making calls!!

Alok: Which are the markets that you are targeting?
Lior: In terms of customer segment, we are targeting business class customers, students, first time travelers, tourists, etc.In terms of geography, we will soon be present in Turkey, UK, and Italy. We are also looking to reach at least 15 countries by the end of the year, including Netherlands, France, Spain, India, Russia, China, and Ukraine, among others.

Alok: Any threats from the telecom companies, considering you are targeting their elite customers?
Lior: We will try to work with the telecom companies as much as possible. Customers are any ways using VoIP to save on roaming costs and there is little that the telecom companies have been able to do about that. We are only reading data from the SIM card and we do not require any other support from the telecom companies to offer our services.

Alok: Do you see any threats from the Google Android platform?
Lior: We will rather work along with the Android platform to offer our services. We are also working on offering our services on smart phones.

Alok: Talking about the VoIP industry in general, what are the challenges facing IP companies?
Lior: The industry is evolving at a little slower pace. People have not changed their habits. Using VoIP still requires substantial technological sophistication. We are trying to make things as simple as possible for the user. The decision to control the manufacturing process is aimed at providing control over the user experience.

Skuku is looking for your comments, suggestions and feedback. So feel free to provide your inputs. Skuku would be glad to incorporate your comments in their products.

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