Pingo has introduced Pingo EZ Dial, a new smartphone application that delivers automatic access to discount international calling rates for users of popular mobile devices including the iPhone, Blackberry, Treo and phones using operating systems such as Nokia Symbian, Windows Mobile and Google Android. Though not widely known to consumers, iBasis is one of the largest carriers of international phone calls in the world. Pingo is iBasis’ only direct-to-consumer offering, a prepaid calling service that can be purchased via a Web site http://www.pingo.com.
iPhone and Blackberry users can download EZ Dial from the Apple iTunes AppStore or via text message to their mobile device. Then, whenever an international phone number is dialed or selected from the address book or contacts list, EZ Dial sends the call to the Pingo service for immediate savings. EZ Dial users don’t dial access numbers, PIN codes or change their calling behavior in any way. The application complements existing voice plans and does not require users to connect to Wi-Fi.
Consumers can purchase international calling minutes on the Pingo.com site without hidden fees or any further contractual obligations. Plus, Pingo customers that download the application receive $5 in free Pingo EZ Dial calls.
“iBasis is the second largest carrier of international voice traffic in the world, and for the first time, consumers and businesses now have a smartphone application that provides easy access to our low wholesale calling rates,” said Jayesh Patel, vice president of business development and strategy for iBasis. “The quality and reliability is the same as we provide for carriers worldwide. And, with no further contractual obligation, Pingo customers can make inexpensive international calls and escape the -˜financial stranglehold’ of operators’ international plans.”
Companies can also gain access to the same low wholesale international rates through Pingo Business, which offers small and medium-sized businesses similar service for up to 999 employees, accompanied by easy-to-use online management tools. IT managers and administrators can also automatically “push” the EZ Dial application out to staff mobile devices.
Pingo offers online account management. Minutes can be purchased via credit and debit cards. Subscribers can pay in four currencies; compare rates to any destination in the world; and interact with automated phone voice prompts in a variety of languages, including Chinese, English, French, Korean, Polish, Portuguese, Spanish and Russian. Pingo customers can access the service by phone in 35 countries, including the U.S., Australia, Canada, China, the U.K., France, Germany, Israel, Japan, Russia and Thailand. Consumers can sign up for Pingo at http://www.pingo.com. For Pingo Business, please visit http://www.pingobusiness.com.
