NEW DELHI, INDIA: Nimbuzz, a VoIP and IM provider, announced the addition of 17 SIP partners, including four Indians, to its global Operator Affiliate Program.

Members of the Nimbuzz Operator Affiliate program

The program brings mobile social networking, presence and instant messaging capabilities to carriers whilst maintaining control of their own customer relationships.

Partners will promote Nimbuzz to their customers by placing permanent banners on their websites from whichcustomers can instantly register and download the Nimbuzz service to their mobile phone and PC.

For existing Nimbuzz users the enhanced feature set and additional call networks will be seamlessly integratedinto their mobile and PC interfaces, allowing them to use Nimbuzz for instant messaging and cheap (international) VoIP calls to landlines and mobile phones.

Evert Jaap Lugt, CEO, Nimbuzz, said: "We see these partnerships providing real value to operators looking to increase ARPU and offer their customers full access to IM and social networks withoutthe risk and costs associated with setting this up themselves. This is also an open call to other operators looking to join. We will be announcing newpartners soon."

Services such as Nimbuzz that are using the mobile Internet are increasing the uptake in data plan sales for operators. According to Chetan Sharma Consulting. In the U.S., data revenues reached $8.2 billion in Q2 2008, or about 21 percent of total wireless-services revenue. This compares to spending of $5.85 billion, or 17 percent of total services, for the same period in 2007. That data jump increased ARPU by 50 cents, comfortably offsetting a five cent decline in voice ARPU.

The new SIP partners operate networks worldwide and will act as session carriers for Nimbuzz users making VoIP calls to mobile phones, and landlines via their mobile or PC.

Source: PR Wire