By TECHNOLOGY TIMES
Lagos. October 28, 2013: Singapore-based mobile technology startup, U2opia Mobile, said that it has tied a deal with MTN Nigeria to introduces a simple and inexpensive way for mobile users to access Facebook without any Internet or data connectivity.
The technology company said that Facebook for USSD service unfolded in the country with MTN Nigeria earlier this month enables mobile users to access Facebook on any mobile phone, without an active Internet or data connection.
Within a period of just 10 days, the service has acquired over 100,000 users, with daily additions continuing at a very fast clip, U2opia said.
Sumesh Menon, CEO, U2opia Mobile, said that the launch of the service with MTN Nigeria takes U2opia Mobile’s African footprint to nearly 100 per cent, with 8 out of 10 users in African nations accessing Facebook through Facebook for USSD.
According to U2opia, “the instant success of Facebook for USSD is testimony to Facebook’s immense popularity in developing markets like Nigeria and the relevance of a solution that enables users to access it on basic and feature phones, without the need for an Internet connection.”
Facebook for USSD enables users to access their Facebook accounts, view/post status messages, respond to friend requests, write on friends’ walls as well as view birthday reminders and send messages.
[blockquote right=”pull-right”]”At a time when the largest Internet companies are trying to address the issue of reaching users sitting outside the ambit of mobile data connectivity, the instant success of Facebook for USSD in markets like Nigeria proves that there is massive demand here, waiting to be tapped with the right innovative technology. The solutions that work need to be simple, inexpensive and made-for-mobile”, Menon added.[/blockquote]
U2opia Mobile said that it developed the service in partnership with Facebook noting that Facebook for USSD currently has over 11 million users across 30 countries, accessing Facebook in seven international languages.
The product reaches the end user through their mobile carrier and U2opia Mobile partners with 42 of the world’s largest carrier groups to do this, the technology company said.
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