Truphone (now acquired by 1GLOBAL) was a GSMA-accredited global mobile network that operated its service internationally. The company was headquartered in London with offices in ten other countries, being spread across four continents.
Truphone offered eSIM-based GSM mobile services to both businesses and individuals, mobile phone calls and SMS recording services for businesses, remote SIM provisioning and related services, and had a customer base that includes more than 3,500 multinational enterprises in 196 countries.
History
Truphone (a trading name of TP Global Operations Ltd, which acquired the assets of Truphone Ltd, formerly Software Cellular Network Ltd) was founded in 2006 by James Tagg, Alexander Straub and Alistair Campbell.
The company's core business focus was Truphone (launched as Truphone Local Anywhere in January 2010). It was a GSM SIM-based mobile service that provides bundles of minutes, text and data to business customers for use in an area of 66 countries. Truphone called this group of countries Truphone World (Now 1GLOBAL World).
Within this area is a group of countries the company called the Truphone Zone (now 1GLOBAL zone). Here, the company has MVNO partnerships with local operators and offers customers additional local mobile phone numbers. This is so users’ contacts can always reach them with a local call at a local rate.
Truphone was originally formed to develop downloadable mobile VoIP applications for smartphones, using the integrated Wi-Fi connection on the device. These offered the ability to make free or low cost calls on the mobile device in areas where there is weak or no GSM coverage, and to send Instant Messages to other networks in partnership with the multimillion-dollar Air Voice Telecommunications Group.
The first Truphone application released was for Nokia devices. This was followed by applications for Apple iPhone, BlackBerry smartphones, Apple iPod Touch, Android devices and a softphone application for desktop was launched in late 2010.
Truphone's SIM based products were entirely separate from the Apps. In 2012, Truphone had announced the intention to combine the SIM and App accounts for customers in the future, but their App service has since been discontinued.
In 2022, the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) voted to fine Truphone for exceeding foreign ownership limits without FCC approval, noting that Russian oligarch Roman Abramovich and his children indirectly control a stake in the company.
On 24 January 2023, Truphone Limited has sold substantially all assets and subsidiaries to TP Global Operations Limited (1GLOBAL).
In December 2024, German Manager Magazin revealed that Russian oligarchs Abramovich, Abramov, and Frolov, who previously owned 96% of Truphone, might still benefit from 1Global's success. The reason for this is a debtor warrant, which guarantees the former owners further payments in the case of later positive economic performance. This could lead to a situation where, under certain circumstances, such as an IPO, a sum in the triple-digit millions could still flow to the Russian oligarchs. The sanctioned oligarchs might be able to access this money once the sanctions against Russia, imposed due to its attack on Ukraine, are lifted, or if they manage to challenge the freezing of their assets through lawsuits in court.
Timeline
2006 October: Truphone launches first VoIP application in beta 2007 January: Raises £12.5 ($24.5) million in Series A funding March: "100 Europe" award from Red Herring magazine June: Releases new functionality allowing VoIP over 3G and SMS over IP June: T-Mobile blocked all calls to Truphone numbers. July: An injunction was issued by a UK court that forces T-Mobile to allow connection to Truphones's mobile numbers 2008 April: Raised £16.5m ($32.7m) of Series B venture capital funding; Acquired SIM4travel May: Version 4.0 released, incorporating Truphone Anywhere, an automated call-through and call-back application July: First VoIP application to be available through iTunes for the iPhone October: Releases Truphone Anywhere application for BlackBerry handsets December: Releases application for iPod Touch allowing free iPod-to-iPod calling April: Truphone acquired SIM4travel, a provider of travel SIM cards, for cash and shares, the first foray for Truphone into the GSM industry. Back-end technology from SIM4travel is now used in the Truphone SIM service. 2009 January: Releases application for Android platform; Releases instant messaging capabilities 2010 January: Truphone Local Anywhere (now Truphone SIM) launches; Truphone and Vodafone enter MVNO partnership; Truphone launched the first commercially available VoIP application for the Android April: Truphone launches on the iPad as the first VoIP application available June: Truphone announces agreements with Vodafone Netherlands and Orange in Spain December: Truphone expands its suite of applications to the desktop and laptop; Truphone announces that local rates and numbers are now available in Australia 2011 July: Truphone announces partnership with Obsidian Wireless and demonstrates Truphone Mobile Recording solution August: Truphone appoints new CEO, Steve Robertson, formerly of BT Openreach November: Truphone launches Truphone Mobile Recording, to help facilitate banks compliance with Financial Services Authority (now FCA) regulations on mobile call recording 2012 July: Truphone acquires its partner, Obsidian Wireless August: Truphone opens US headquarters in Research Triangle Park, Raleigh, NC 2013 May: Announces technology partnership with Caterham F1 team September: Truphone signs deal with BT Global services for the telecoms giant to resell its Truphone Mobile Recording product in the US November: Truphone launches new operations in Germany, Hong Kong and Poland is featured on CNBC October: Shortlisted for the ‘Best MVNO’ at the What Mobile Awards, and ‘Best business communications provider’ at the V3 awards. December: Truphone opens new offices in New York, NY, and Houston, TX 2014 January: Shortlisted for the GSMA "Global Mobile Awards" best Enterprise Mobile Service and FSTech Awards 2014 "Online/Mobile provider of the year" February: Won best MVNO at the Telecoms.com awards March: Shortlisted Most Innovative Telecom Project, Telecom Asia Awards 2014 May: Truphone World’ plan is launched an extension to the borderless communication zone, to include 66 countries, is featured in CNN, CNBC and Forbes Magazine June: Won Best customer service in Asia Pacific at the Contact Centre World awards. Announces deal to be the official telecommunications supplier, and sponsor of the Volvo Ocean Race, a round the world sailing event. Announces three year shirt sponsorship deal with Vitesse Arnhem, a football club from the Netherlands Eredivisie July: Won Best customer service in Europe, Middle East and Africa at the Contact Centre World awards. Won International customer service Training Programme of the Year at the Customer Service Training Awards November: Won Best Contact Centre Award the Contact Centre World awards. December: Truphone announced that it had undergone a review of the shape, focus and performance of its business and that following this process its shareholders have committed a funding package of £51 million for 2015. Following this review Truphone initiated a process to streamline and restructure the business to accelerate progress towards profitability. 2016 January: Truphone appoints Ralph Steffens as CEO.2022 March: The Truphone board mandates FRP Advisory to explore strategic options for the company due to its majority russian shareholder base and exposure to possible UK sanctions. May: After a strategic review and bidding process, the Truphone board decides to award the bidder group consisting of European technology entrepreneurs Hakan Koç and Pyrros Koussios exclusivity for the sale of its assets and subsidiaries. August: Truphone's COO Harry Odenhoven is appointed as CEO. November: Truphone Limited is subject to UK sanctions and operates under a General License issued by the UK Office of Financial Sanctions Implementation (which is revoked in 2023 after the successful sale of its assets). December: The asset sale to TP Global Operations Limited is approved by the UK Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy under the NSIA 2021 2023 January: The asset sale to TP Global Operations Limited is approved by the UK Office of Financial Sanctions Implementation (OFSI). Truphone Limited goes into pre pack administration and sells the majority of its assets and subsidiaries (the Truphone business except any Russia related business or subsidiary) to TP Global Operations Limited (1GLOBAL), a newly founded UK entity which is solely owned by Hakan Koç and Pyrros Koussios. According to the UK Office of Financial Sanctions Implementation (OFSI), UK sanctions no longer apply to those assets, e.g. the Truphone business. February: Under new ownership, 1GLOBAL can focus on its core competencies and shows a live demo of the new ESIM Consumer IoT SGP.31 standard at the Mobile World Congress in Barcelona.
(Past) products and services
Truphone SIM (Now 1GLOBAL SIM)
The Truphone SIM was a standard GSM service with patented technology that allowed customers to have additional phone numbers for any or all of the countries where Truphone had MVNO partnerships with local operators. Currently this included Australia, France, Germany, Hong Kong, Poland, Spain, the Netherlands, United Kingdom and the United States.
The company built a mobile network with core network technology distributed across four continents. Truphone used these local points of presence (POPs) to reduce the distance that mobile traffic has to travel. This reduced latency, improves data speeds and call quality.
Truphone offered local rates for calls, texts and data through commercial arrangements with mobile network operators in 66 countries around the world.
The company focused mainly on the business marketplace, and also has a pre-pay SIM that came with 1 phone number, additional numbers could be purchased for an extra monthly fee (currently $8 per month). Business plans included two phone numbers as standard.
Geographical breakdown
Truphone Zone (Now 1GLOBAL zone) Countries where Truphone customers can purchase additional phone numbers, includes: the US, UK, Australia, France, Hong Kong, Netherlands, Germany, Poland and Spain Truphone World (Now 1GLOBAL World) Countries where business users' bundles of minutes, texts and data can be used includes: Albania, Andorra, Argentina, Austria, Belarus, Belgium, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Brazil, Canada, China, Croatia, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Faroe Islands, Finland, France, French Guiana, Gibraltar, Greece, Guadeloupe, Guernsey, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Isle of Man, Israel, Italy, Japan, Jersey, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Macedonia, Malta, Mexico, Martinique, Mayotte, Monaco, Montenegro, New Zealand, Norway, Portugal, Reunion Island, Romania, Russia, San Marino, Serbia, Singapore, Slovakia, Slovenia, Sweden, Switzerland, Turkey, Ukraine, and Vatican City Other countries: Truphone network provides service with higher quality performance in over 220 countries.
Truphone Mobile Recording (Now 1GLOBAL for Finance)
In addition to the roaming service, Truphone offers mobile call and SMS recording service to financial institutions in the UK and US to comply with the mobile recording legislation from the Financial Conduct Authority, and the Dodd Frank Wall Street Reform Act. The Truphone Mobile Recording service is delivered with its wholly owned subsidiary TruObsidian, an organisation created out of the acquisition of Obsidian Wireless by Truphone in 2012.
Features
Local rates in multiple countries