Nettlinx selects Smart IMS

Hyderabad-based internet service provider Nettlinx, in association with US-based Smart IMS, have announced plans to release VoIP services across Andhra Pradesh. Nettlinx will provide VoIP services with the help of special VoIP phones that will enable the users to reach international destinations via the Nettlinx IP network.

Smart IMS is financial and technical support for the VoIP telephone services. Chief minister of Andhra Pradesh, Dr. YS Rajasekhara Reddy himself, formally launched the “Matallo Phones” earlier this week, and praised entrepreneurs for providing low-cost telephony services and “helping the people retain their bonds with their near and dear ones living abroad.”

The company will be rolling out various models, such as the Matallo Home and Matallo Enterprise for voice and the Matallo Videophone, which sports a video stream. Nettlinx CEO Manohar Loka Reddy said that the company will launch further VoIP phone services across the country alongside the United States, Canada and the UK in the second phase. Nettlinx predicts its subscriber base to reach between 50,000 and 100,000 in the first year, and up to 1 million by 2010.

The Nettlinx brain trust also sees great business potential to free phone-to-phone call services both locally and abroad; according to one study conducted by the company, four to five telephone numbers make up 70 percent of the calls made by the average telephone user in the region.