A   A   A

Posted: Friday, 15 June 2012 6:36AM

Call app could lift Facebook sales: VoIP firm Rebtel



By Tarmo Virki

PARIS (Reuters) - Instead of just "liking" - why don't you call?

A simple proposition like this could lift Facebook's annual revenue by $800 million and give the social network a direct-billing relation with millions of users, the chief of mobile calling firm Rebtel told Reuters.

Andreas Bernstrom said a Facebook voice service charging for calls going into traditional telephones could in theory create the world's second largest telecoms network by customers, after China Mobile and ahead of Vodafone.

"A serious step from Facebook could have a significant effect on operators," Bernstrom said.

The CEO of Rebtel, the world's second largest Internet calling app after Skype, said his calculations are based on Skype-like pricing and uptake of the service, that would give Facebook more than 8 million credit cards.

Europe's traditional phone companies are facing intensifying competition from Internet-based services like Microsoft Corp's Skype, Rebtel, Viber and Tango.

"Facebook has great opportunity to build an app for calling functionality in much the same way they have one for messaging and photos," said Bernstrom, who added that he is not currently in talks to sell his service to Facebook.

"Not only does this generate a very large revenue potential ..., but it also allows Facebook to start building a giant database of credit cards, which will be hugely important for future cross selling opportunities."

(Reporting By Tarmo Virki; Editing by Tim Dobbyn)

Story & Photos Copyright 2012 Reuters

Vatican marks anniversary of 1972 attack on Michelangelo's Pieta


Forty-one years ago, a man in St. Peter's Basilica and dealt 12 hammer blows to Michelangelo's Pieta.

Catering to the rich (and their dogs) is good business


Rich Americans are going to make this a strong summer in one of their favorite playgrounds.

More poor people now live in suburbs than cities


The number of people living in poverty in suburbs surpassed the number of poor in cities.

WATCH: Woman finds missing dog alive in rubble


Touching video. A woman whose home was destroyed finds her dog alive.

Yahoo buying Tumblr for $1.1 billion


Yahoo said it is buying blogging service Tumblr for $1.1 billion cash.

Winning $590.5 million Powerball lottery ticket sold in Florida


A single winning ticket for a record Powerball lottery jackpot was sold in Florida.

VIDEO: Meteoroid impact triggers bright flash on the moon


An automated telescope monitoring the moon captured images of a meteoroid impact. Watch!

National Weather Service gets big computing boost


The National Weather Service is getting a boost that will significantly improve its forecasting abilities.

Google+ struggles to attract brands


Businesses don't seem to be catching on to Google+.

Lower DUI limit to 0.05% blood-alcohol level, NTSB says


The top transportation safety agency voted to recommend a lower blood alcohol limit for drivers.

ABC to start first streaming of live broadcast shows


Disney's ABC network will become the first broadcast network to stream its shows live online.

Modern Etiquette: When a colleague is abusing alcohol


The lovely dinner meeting with my colleague turned out to be a bad dream.

Colorado legislature votes to tax recreational marijuana


The Colorado legislature passed a bill to establish the first tax ever collected on marijuana.

Video game maker drops gun makers, not their guns


Gun manufacturers and videogame makers are delicately navigating their relationships.

Senate passes internet tax bill; fight expected in House


The Senate voted overwhelmingly to give states the power to enforce their sales tax laws online.