Slash iPhone costs with BigTinCan
Announcement posted by BigTinCan 25 Jun 2009
New Australian solutions saves money on all smartphone platforms; adds great new features
Australian iPhone and smartphone users can save up to 50 per cent on their phone and messaging charges with a new Australian-developed mobile application called BigTinCan Connect. With the launch this week of the first pricing plans for iPhone 3GS, BigTinCan managing director David Keane is encouraging consumers to understand that they are not locked in to using the major mobile carriers to place calls or send text and MMS messages. "BigTinCan users can slash their mobile bills without having to use a VoIP application from a WiFi zone" said BigTinCan managing director and founder David Keane. "So we're urging Australians who are buying the new iPhone 3GS, or indeed any Smartphone, to take this into consideration when deciding what plan to take up." "For many users, they will get greater value by taking out smaller plans or pre-paid offerings and using applications like BigTinCan to place the majority of their calls and messages." BigTinCan (http://www.bigtincan.com) offers calls at the rate of 30 cents per minute to both Australian mobiles and ordinary landlines. Text and MMS messages can be sent for just 10 cents a message. Unlike most mobile networks there are no flag-fall charges and calls are made on a per-second basis. For travellers and those who regularly dial internationally, the savings are even greater with the same low rates charged for calls made to dozens of international destinations including the USA, UK, New Zealand, Singapore, China and Canada. Importantly, BigTinCan does not place calls from the handset over the Internet as do VOIP applications like Skype. While both offer low rates, BigTinCan uses the caller's regular mobile service so quality is indistinguishable from standard calls and users do not have to be connected to a Wifi wireless network or hotspot. As well as cheaper calls, the BigTinCan smartphone application offers a host of additional features and services including face dialing, call recording, the ability to record and send voice notes and much more. BigTinCan can be thought of as a stored calling card on your smartphone. Users place their call using the BigTinCan application and this sends a very small data message to the BigTinCan system, with the user's telephone number and who is being called. BigTinCan then calls the users phone and upon that request being answered, proceeds to calls and connect the intended receiver. A call is never actually placed by the caller, yet still the conversation takes place as would a normal phone call. The application is available on the iPhone, Blackberry, Android and Windows Mobile platforms. Users can also access all of their messages, sent files and call recordings from their PC using BigT inCan's web service. BigTinCan is also the developer of BuzzMe, a hugely popular Blackberry application that lets Blackberry users have greater control over the vibration feature. BuzzMe is on track to reach a million users worldwide by August and is currently one of the top ten Blackberry AppWorld applications. "BigTinCan is a an Australian company working from a small office in Cremorne, North Sydney, but we have already established a track record of building applications that are capable of gaining a massive worldwide user base," said Keane. We believe BigTinCan can redefine low-cost mobile calling just as Skype did for internet-based phone calls." While BigTinCan's standard service is compelling in its own right, the company will roll-out a raft of additional services and features, most of which can only currently be found on high-end company telephone systems. These include inbound numbers, rules -based routing, caller ID routing, and advanced call controls and voice mail. "It will be like carrying around a corporate PABX in your pocket," said Keane. Keane and BigTinCan co-founder Duane Groth already have an imposing track record of building high-value communications companies. Keane founded leading wireless broadband service provider Veritel which was acquired by BigAir and collaborated with Groth to build call bypass provider vCall, which was sold to investor partners in 2005. Groth previously created and founded e164.org, a major international telephone number exchange. BigTinCan will initially target the Australian, US and UK markets before moving into other territories. Please find images and screenshots of the application at: http://gallery.me.com/roegrif1#100195 Media Enquiries David Keane is available for interviews or for more information and can be reached on +61 2 8969 6969 or via email at david.keane@bigtincan.com.