28TEL challenges Skype with Mobility on VOIP

HONG KONG, CHINA: Linkwell International (HK) Co. Ltd. announced that 28TEL, the company's leading online mobile telecommunications service provider, is launching International "Free Call" service in the United States.

This new service allows registered users to place free international calls via their mobile phones to over 20 other countries without extra software installed neither any Internet access. Through Linkwell's latest industry-leading technology, 28TEL is also able to provide global subscribers to make free international calls with multi-lingual voice prompts and user interfaces, specifically including Chinese and Japanese.

28TEL is launching this new service availability in the US just in time for 2008 Beijing Olympic Games, the largest global sports event.

"28TEL is continuously expanding its service territory to cover the globe and to meet the demand of cheaper international calls," said Cola Cho, CEO of 28TEL, "We have received lots of email requests to launch our service in the US, and we responded by covering nearly all of the US with our free service at a time when the largest global sports gala, the Olympic Games. is in full swing."

Now the US tourists and expats in China can celebrate this sports carnival by making free calls to their families and friends in the US using 28TEL's International "Free Call" service.

How does it work?

First time users simply dial 1-213-3666099 (English), 1-213-3666000 (Chinese), or 1-213-3666090 (Japanese) and enter the number of the person you wish to call, and your call will be connected shortly. After connected, 28TEL will send you a text message with the local number representing that person, so in the future you can simply call him directly by dialing this number.

Alternatively, you can log onto http://www.28tel.com, simply type in your friend's number, and 28TEL will give you the local phone number for that person so you can dial the number and talk to you friend overseas.

How to make a "Free call"?

Through this exclusive "Free call" service, a caller may dial a pre-mapped local 28TEL number to reach an overseas friend. When connected, by telling the friend to hang up and call back with the displayed number. The caller holds the line and waits for friend's callback within a limited time. This service allows people to enjoy international calls free of charge without a time limit.

Currently, "Free call" service has already been available in mainland China, Hong Kong, Taiwan, Japan, Korea and Brazil, now the US, and will be soon extended to major countries in Europe and South America. Moreover, In China and Taiwan, the access numbers have been unified into nationwide 10175612999 and 08090022812.

28TEL, with its advanced technologies, provides competitive international mobile calling services and rates. Compared with the standard  mobile international calling rate, 28TEL is at least 70 percent cheaper. The mobile "roaming free" service is also strongly recommended.

Through the mobile phone's call forwarding setup, during roaming, the subscriber can be exempt from international roaming fees and receive all calls directly with local mobile phones. It is quite cost-effective for people who frequently travel on international business and pleasure. For now, this "roaming free" service has been offered to subscribers in Asia and America. European subscribers will also enjoy this exemption in the near future.

In addition to super-low costs, 28TEL also boasts a friendly MUI (multiple-user interface). The phone numbers of overseas contacts can be quickly mapped through three different methods: text message, IVR (Interactive Voice Response) system and website. So you can conduct contact management any time. The system will assign corresponding local numbers for users to make direct calls.

The mapped local number can be saved into the mobile phone contact list to facilitate the one-touch service. As a result, 28TEL thrives commercially and received good market responses immediately after the service was launched in Asia.

According Cho, people from 20-plus countries around the globe will become subscribers in only a few months and many businesses have expressed their intent to cooperate. Currently the company has been working with telecommunications operators in several countries.