South Africa’s Nashua Mobile, owned by the JSE-listed Reunert group, “has moved into voice over IP (VoIP) with the launch of EasiVoice,” accordingto industry observer Nicola Mawson.

Mawson says Nashua is “among several least-cost routing (LCR) companies, including Vox's Orion Telecoms and Altech's Autopage Solutions, to enter the VOIP market.” She explains that mobile operators, “offering cost savings through LCR, have seen lower mobile termination rates (MTRs) cut into profit margins.”

The South African journal MyBroadband News reportedlastmonth that Nashua Mobile expanded its product offering with the introduction of EasiVoice: “According to Nashua Mobile, EasiVoice offers a comprehensive range of Voice Over Internet Protocol (VoIP) business. These new managed VoIP products and services will help companies of all sizes to drive down their telecommunications costs by offering them substantial cost-savings on calls to local, international and cellular numbers, said Nashua Mobile.”

“With the uncertainty surrounding the regulation of mobile termination rates in SA, the time is ripe for businesses of all sizes to migrate onto VOIP solutions to achieve cost-savings in their telecommunications environments,” Mawson records Tim Walter, GM for product and marketing at Nashua Mobile, as saying.

Reunert said in the results commentary that Nashua Mobile's performance “reflected the tough cellular communications environment in which it currently operates,” according to Mawson: “The company added that changes in termination rates had not yet impacted its results.”

Also last month MyBroadband reported that Nashua Mobile claimed that it has become the first South African telecommunications provider to allow customers to apply completely online for new cellular voice and data contracts on MTN, Vodacom (News - Alert) and Cell C.

Customers can apply through the Nashua Mobile website without the need to speak to a telesales representative or visit a retail store at any time according to the service provider.