China Mobile International launches VoIP mobile app in Singapore, eyes rest of world

It's no longer about mobile telcos tied to serving customers in a single country, nor about WhatsApp, Skype or Line grabbing all the OTT business. Local telcos should watch out: China Mobile International (CMI) has announced the Singapore launch of Jego, a free VoIP mobile application that connects people in the island city with those in China, a large potential audience. 

Source: CMI. Jego video calling.

Jego is available on iOS and Android platforms for users outside of China, and is the only mobile application to offer the renting and binding of China Mobile numbers in the world, making it ideal for those who wish to be connected with people in Hong Kong and China for business or leisure.

Chinese residents in Singapore who already have a China Mobile number can now retain their number and bind it with Jego to enjoy free roaming incoming calls. Singaporeans who wish to stay connected to people in Hong Kong and China on the other hand can now rent a China Mobile number to receive unlimited free calls, and use Jego to make high quality, international calls at a low cost, anywhere in the world. 

At a binding fee of US$0.99/month (for existing China Mobile subscribers) or a rental fee of US$2.99/month for a Hong Kong number or US$4.99/month for a China number (for non-China Mobile subscribers), family, friends or business partners in Hong Kong and China can be connected from their landlines or mobiles to those in Singapore, or anywhere in the world, via Jego, paying just local charges*. In addition to making voice calls, Jego users can also send text messages, share pictures, and make video calls within the application, at no extra charge.

“I am proud to introduce Jego in Singapore. This is an application which is going to benefit people with close connections to Hong Kong and China, in particular overseas Chinese, and provide a whole new communications experience,” said Dr. Tiger Lin Zhenhui, Chairman and CEO, China Mobile International. “With Jego, people can now make and receive calls as if they were in Hong Kong and China, eliminating the need for an extra SIM card and high roaming tariffs.”

The future will see Jego in use in other countries, too. “Allowing users to rent and bind Chinese numbers anywhere in the world is just the beginning,” said Dr. John Jiang, CTO, China Mobile International. “China Mobile International is building a Jego Alliance of mobile and fixed line operators around the world to allow Jego users to rent or bind multiple numbers from different countries. This means that expensive IDD and roaming services become a thing of the past, realising China Mobile International’s vision of ‘Communications without Borders’.”

China Mobile International, a wholly-owned subsidiary of China Mobile, has a well-established global network which allows it to provide high quality call services, and pass on greater cost savings and an enhanced user experience to consumers compared with other application players.

*In a promotional offer, new Jego subscribers will receive 88 minutes free to call China, Hong Kong, Singapore, Taiwan (landline), US and UK (landline) from now till 30^th June.