Well, this is interesting: NBC Universal is working on a comedy video subscription service, according to a report from the Wall Street…
Read MoreResearch
Telefonica’s Tu Go service turns to WebRTC for in-browser calls
The Spanish carrier group Telefónica is big on WebRTC, the technology that allows for plugin-free in-browser voice and video calls, among other…
Read MoreOrange’s Libon app lets you take calls to your number over Wi-Fi
Libon, the WhatsApp and Skype competitor from French carrier group Orange, has an interesting new feature called Reach Me, which will allow…
Read MoreDirecTV launches its Latino streaming service Yaveo
DirecTV soft-launched its Latino streaming service Yaveo Monday, offering three live TV feeds channels as well some 2700 hours of on-demand content…
Read MoreOpen Garden’s hard sell: A world of shared radios
On the evening of Sept 28, Open Garden co-founder and CEO Micha Benoliel was on Skype call in a hotel room in…
Read MoreComcast won’t join the internet TV crowd, but still looks to test video service
Don't expect Comcast to target customers of Cox or Cablevision with a internet-based TV service like the ones Sony and Dish are getting ready to launch.…
Read MorePeeeM, an anonymous messaging and file-sharing app, sets its sights on the U.S.
An anonymous messaging app called PeeeM has made a name for itself in the Middle East, where it’s found a following among youngsters and communities that can’t flaunt their lifestyles in public.…
Read MoreSoftphone provider TextPlus becomes NextPlus, expands into the UK
The app formerly known as Gogii will soon be formerly known as TextPlus. TextPlus is launching its next-generation communications app, NextPlus, which is designed around the virtual phone number.…
Read MoreFireChat is verifying users in Hong Kong, hoping to add trusted voices to its anonymous chat network
Only 15 users have gotten verified status, but almost all of them are Hong Kong journalists who Open Garden hopes will become trusted sources of information during the protests.…
Read MoreEight months and $16B later, Facebook now owns WhatsApp
WhatsApp co-founder and CEO Jan Koum will keep his day job (in fact he's being given 25 million restricted shares to stay put), but he'll also take a spot of Facebook's board.…
Read MoreIs Line going it alone? Messaging app maker reportedly files for $10B IPO
Given the usual strategy for OTT communications apps is to grow big and then sell out to an internet giant, Line’s plan to go independent runs counter to the market.…
Read MoreTextNow’s VoIP-only mobile phones can now swap calls between Wi-Fi and cellular
TextNow is an all-IP operator so all calls and text messages ride over its data connections. Adding hand-over between Wi-Fi and cellular means it will be able to support better quality voice conversations.…
Read MoreSoon you’ll be able to send SMS messages to toll-free help lines
On Thursday, toll-free numbers administered by Bandwidth will have the ability to send and receive text messages -- which could mean that you never have to hold for an operator again.…
Read MoreBlackBerry continues to refocus on enterprise, launching an encrypted version of BBM
BlackBerry is using its secure enterprise communications network to launch a secure version of BBM, targeting it at corporate and government customer. It's the second example in two weeks of BlackBerry looking beyond the phone.…
Read MoreVoIP calling outfit Rebtel launches a challenger to Twilio called Sinch
Rebtel is an OTT communications company with ambitions of being much more than a cheap international calling service. It has spun off its VoIP and messaging network into a new company that will target mobile developers.…
Read MoreVirtual operator FreedomPop brings its freemium service to the iPhone
FreedomPop is coming to iOS in many ways. It's started selling refurbed iPhone 5s, activating its service on older iPhone models and offering an over-the-top iOS app to lure in potential customers.…
Read MoreViber launches new polished apps for iOS 7 and BlackBerry 10
Viber's new look for iOS 7 isn't just cosmetic. It's added a handful of new features such as multi-photo messaging and block lists. It's also finally supporting BlackBerry's latest OS.…
Read MoreWhatsApp becomes a virtual carrier in Germany with the help of E-Plus
E-Plus is offering up a cheap prepaid SIM-card plan that exempts WhatsApp traffic from its data plan, effectively creating a mobile service that leans primarily on over-the-top messaging for communication.…
Read MoreFireChat’s anonymous, off-grid messaging app arrives on Android
FireChat is debuting today in Google Play, after a successful launch on iOS. Android users can now engage in FireChat's hyperlocal messaging sessions, but they won't be able to chat with iOS devices.…
Read MoreFireChat sees 100K app downloads a day with a huge uptake overseas
Open Garden's new anonymous, hyperlocal messaging app is sparking a lot of interest around the world, rising to the top of the iTunes social networking charts in several countries.…
Read MoreChina’s Alibaba invests big in video chat app Tango, leading a $280M funding round
The Asian e-commerce giant is ponying up $215 million in a strategic investment that spreads its reach into the U.S. Now flush, Tango plans to staff up and accelerate its social gaming and content sharing strategy.…
Read MoreConsumers will get their VoLTE phones, but carriers’ real targets are business users
Carriers are slowly turning on voice-over-LTE in their networks, but they're not doing it for the benefit of consumers. Rather they've got enterprises services -- and enterprise pocketbooks -- in mind.…
Read MoreDeutsche Telekom plans over-the-top partner push, building on existing deals with Spotify and Evernote
The German giant has definitely realized that, when it comes to the threat of services running over its data networks, it's better to join up with them than try to beat them.…
Read MoreOrange’s Libon messaging app lets you chat with people who don’t use Libon
The carrier group is being unusually smart about taking on the threat of rivals like WhatsApp and Viber, offering one major thing they don't: the ability to communicate outside the walled garden.…
Read More