Singapore, 16 May 2007 – Singapore Telecommunications Limited (Singtel) today announced it will offer VelvetPuffinTM social networking service to its mobile customers.
Targeted at youths and users who access social networking services such as instant messaging, blogging, sharing of videos and photos, VelvetPuffinTM will be made available to Singtel’s customers in Singapore with compatible handsets from Nokia and Sony Ericsson.
“Social networking is already common among the PC community and mobile phone users are quickly catching on,” said Mr Quek Peck Leng, Executive Vice President of Consumer Business, Singtel. “By leveraging on Singtel’s existing data infrastructure and tapping on VelvetPuffin’s expertise in delivering social networking applications, we are pleased to be able to provide this value-added service to our extensive pool of mobile customers.”
Singtel customers simply log on to IDEAS Web or WAP at www.ideas.singtel.com to sign up for VelvetPuffinTM to download both the mobile and desktop versions of the VelvetPuffinTM application onto their mobile phone and PC. The sign up and download of VelvetPuffinTM services are free, although prevailing mobile data charges apply when accessing the service.
“Singtel recognises the power of social networking and the potential it has on leveraging investments on data infrastructure in the mobile space,” said Mr R Chandrasekar, Chief Executive of VelvetPuffinTM. “Online social networking is taking the world by storm and VelvetPuffinTM provides the bridge to tap into the massive mobile market.”
VelvetPuffinTM is the first company to seamlessly deliver social networking services with the same rich features whether the users are at their desktop computer or using their mobile phones. Merging instant messaging and facets of social networking to create a holistic mobile social networking experience, VelvetPuffinTM allows all user-generated content including videos, photos, blogs and more to be delivered to the user’s mobile phone or computer in real time. Online polling, a feature unique to VelvetPuffinTM, allows users to set up an online poll for their friends who can vote from wherever they are on the Internet.
About Singtel
Singtel is Asia's leading communications group with operations and investments around the world. Serving both the corporate and consumer markets, it is committed to bringing the best of global communications to customers in the Asia Pacific and beyond.
With significant operations in Singapore and Australia (through wholly-owned subsidiary Singtel Optus), the Group provides a comprehensive portfolio of services that include voice and data services over fixed, wireless and Internet platforms.
To serve the needs of multi-national corporations, Singtel has a network of 37 offices in 19 countries and territories throughout Asia Pacific, Europe and the United States. These offices enable Singtel to deliver reliable and quality network solutions to its customers, either on its own or jointly with local partners.
The Group also has major investments in Bangladesh, India, Indonesia, the Philippines and Thailand. Together with its regional partners, Singtel is Asia’s largest multi-market mobile operator, serving more than 124 million customers in seven markets.
Singtel employs more than 19,000 people worldwide and had a turnover of S$13.15 billion (US$8.40 billion) and net profit after tax of S$3.78 billion (US$2.42 billion) for the year ended 31 March 2007. More information can be found @ www.singtel.com and www.optus.com.au.
About VelvetPuffinTM
VelvetPuffinTM delivers the first integrated social networking service enabling users of all ages to instantly communicate, create, and share personally-generated content of all types with friends and family through a mobile phone or personal computer. It is currently accessible to anyone with a Java 2-enabled mobile phone or a desktop computer with an Internet connection. VelvetPuffinTM is headquartered in Singapore. For more information and news on VelvetPuffinTM, please visit www.velvetpuffin.com.
