Lebara Group
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| Industry | Telecommunications |
|---|---|
| Founded | September 2001 |
| Key people | Ratheesan Yoganathan (CEO), Leon Rasiah and Baskaran Kandiah |
| Products | Mobile telecommunications services |
| Revenue | €565 million (end 2010) |
| Net income | €21 million (end 2010) |
| Employees | 1,400 (end 2011) |
| Website | lebara.com |
The Lebara Group is a telecommunications company providing services in many European countries using the mobile virtual network operator business model. Lebara Mobile provides Pay As You Go and Pay Monthly mobile SIM cards, targetted towards the needs of international communities and migrant workers.[1][2]
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[edit] History
The Lebara Group was founded in 2001 by Ratheesan Yoganathan, Leon Rasiah and Baskaran Kandiah. The founders worked on the idea at an airport cafe after seeing the imposing Telenor building on the way to the airport in Bergen, Norway. The name Lebara was coined from the first two letters of each of the founders' names.[3]
The company's initial product was international telephone calling cards, sold through independent mobile phone shops.[3]
In 2004, Lebara Mobile launched the first-ever[citation needed] low-cost international service in the Netherlands, selling SIM cards using mobile carrier Telefort, a subsidiary of KPN.[3]
In 2007 it began using Vodafone's infrastructure in Australia[4] and the UK. By then it had also expanded into Denmark, Norway, Spain, Sweden and Switzerland.[2] France was added in 2010.[3]
In May 2010 it acquired the ‘Chippie’ brand and customer base in the Netherlands. Lebara said it would retain the Chippie name in the Netherlands, which is designed to address migrant communities from North and South America, the Caribbean, the Middle East and Asia. Like Lebara Mobile's Dutch MVNO, Chippie calls are carried on KPN's network.[5] Lebara generated annual sales in excess of €565 million in 2010, and had more than three million active customers.[3]
In March 2011, it expanded its services by launching Lebara Money in the UK for customers wishing to send money abroad. In November of that year it signed a global deal to distribute Nokia handsets, with Lebara branding including a ringtone by Indian composer A. R. Rahman.[6]
[edit] Operations
The company currently operates in Australia, Denmark, France, Germany, Netherlands, Spain, Switzerland, and the UK,[7] and employs around 1,400 staff in total.
[edit] Awards
The following industry recognitions have been awarded to Lebara:
- Best UK Customer Experience in Telecom Sector; and Best UK Customer Experience Team at 2011 UK Customer Experience Awards
- Best Mobile Virtual Network Operator (MVNO); and Best Customer Service of the Year at 2011 Mobile News Awards
- Best Mobile Virtual Network Operator (MVNO) at 2010 Mobile News Awards
- Innovative Service in the 2009 Mobile News Awards, for the international SIM card product
- In 2008, Real Business Magazine placed Lebara in their Hot 100 listing for the second year running
- The judges in the 2008 Mobile Awards voted Lebara Mobile Best Newcomer to the UK market
- In 2007, Real Business Magazine placed Lebara in both its Hot 100 and Top 50 to Watch in Mobile listings
- The Fast Track 100 listing, produced by the Sunday Times in 2006, ranked Lebara as the fourth fastest-growing private company in Great Britain.
[edit] Management
Yoganathan Ratheesan, co-owner and co-founder of Lebara Group, has been Chief Executive Officer of Lebara Group since the company’s inception in 2001, when he was aged 25.[3]
The founders established the Lebara Foundation in 2005. As of 2011[update] they were intending to sell their interest in the company, and donate half their wealth to expand the charitable work of the Foundation.[3]
[edit] References
- ^ Wray, Richard (October 30 2007). "Vodafone calls up economic migrants". The Guardian. http://www.guardian.co.uk/technology/2007/oct/31/vodafonegroup.mobilephones. Retrieved 2008-08-31.
- ^ a b Wray, Richard (October 31 2007). "Vodafone partners new Sim-only service aimed at immigrants". The Guardian. http://www.guardian.co.uk/technology/2007/oct/31/vodafonegroup.mobilephones?gusrc=rss&feed=technology. Retrieved 2008-08-31.
- ^ a b c d e f g "Lebara co-founder made virtual phone network a real money-maker". The Guardian. November 17, 2011. http://www.guardian.co.uk/business/2011/nov/17/lebara-co-founder-yoganathan-ratheesan-interview.
- ^ Bingemann, Mitchell (March 31 2009). "Vodafone's Lebara Mobile deal". The Australian. http://www.theaustralian.com.au/australian-it-old/vodafones-lebara-deal/story-e6frgalo-1225700523783. Retrieved February 24 2012.
- ^ "Lebara acquires Dutch company Chippie". http://www.mobiletoday.co.uk/Mobile_Exec/Lebara_acquires_Dutch_company_Chippie.aspx.
- ^ "Lebara strikes global handset deal with Nokia". Telecom Paper. November 3 2011. http://www.telecompaper.com/news/lebara-strikes-global-handset-deal-with-nokia. Retrieved February 24 2012.
- ^ Locations, official website. Retrieved 29 February 2012.
[edit] External links
- http://www.lebara.com Lebara Mobile official website
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