NEW YORK: A technology startup has unveiled plans to offer email, instant messaging and other communications services to low-cost mobile phones. The firm, Berggi Inc., will provide a simpler version of Blackberry to basic entry-level cellphones, the company's chief executive, Babur Ozden, said.
The service, planned for launch on Thanksgiving day, will enable owners of basic cellphones to avail of messaging, email and other related services, which are now available only to users of Blackberry, Palm or Microsoft software, and which all need expensive smartphones.
Ozden said users will be able to send and receive emails on their phones along with instant messaging services. The system cannot handle attachments.
Besides the U.S., Berggi will offer the service initially in Britain, Italy, Mexico and Turkey. In the U.S., it will cost $9.99 a month. In European countries, charges will be on the data downloaded -- like for example, 10 to 20 emails for one euro.
Ozden said the service will work as a simple download on most U.S. mobile carriers, except for Verizon Communications and the Nextel service of Sprint Nextel. These companies have billing system conflicts.
The company will have distribution partners. In the U.S., these partners will be Blinko USA, a unit of Italian mobile entertainment company Buongiorno S.p.A. and the America One Television.
Berggi is a brainchild of some of Europe's brains behind mobile technology. Its founder is Jorge Mata, who is chairman. He had earlier founded MyAlert.com, a Spanish company that delivers marketing via text message to mobile phones. He had sold it in 2001.The others are Raul Lorenzo and Ozden.
The company, operating out of Houston, has 18 employees. It has a research facility in Madrid and received $3 million in April through a funding round led by Adara Venture Partners.
Berggi is a brainchild of some of Europe's brains behind mobile technology. Its founder is Jorge Mata, who is chairman. He had earlier founded MyAlert.com, a Spanish company that delivers marketing via text message to mobile phones. He had sold it in 2001.The others are Raul Lorenzo and Ozden.
The company, operating out of Houston, has 18 employees. It has a research facility in Madrid and received $3 million in April through a funding round led by Adara Venture Partners.
