Rebtel

Rebtel's principal owners are European London-based venture capital funds Balderton Capital and Index Ventures.{{Cite web|url=https://www.allabolag.se/5566899539/befattningar|title=RebTel Owners AB - Befattningshavare|website=www.allabolag.se|language=sv|access-date=2018-05-29}} Its management team consists of the following people:

• Erik Olofsson – Chief Executive Officer
• Svante Pagels – Chief Commercial Officer
• Anna Skallefell – Chief Financial Officer
• Jude Mukundane – Chief Technology Officer

Rebtel provides low-cost or free{{cite web|url=http://www.rebtel.com/en/Rates/Rates/|title=Call Rates|accessdate=2014-01-09|archive-date=2014-02-03|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140203205026/http://www.rebtel.com/en/Rates/Rates/|url-status=dead|language=en}} international call services. Its service was first available as an intermediary service accessible by dialing a particular phone number but is now available through iOS and Android apps with a combined download count totaling over 10M users.{{Citation needed|date=May 2024}}

Rebtel’s tech platform supports money transfer in the form of mobile top-up, in which users can transfer credit to others by mobile phone a practice common in parts of the world with unreliable or nonexistent financial systems. In early 2018, the company launched Nauta for the Cuban community.

Rebtel’s Activist program was launched in 2016 as a pilot in Miami, Florida, enabling anyone to sign up to become a Rebtel reseller through the independent Activist app. Since the launch, the Activist program has expanded to Houston, Texas.{{Cite news|url=https://www.forbes.com/sites/elizabethmacbride/2017/12/26/a-swedish-upstart-takes-on-whatsapp-reaching-95m-in-revenue/2/#2ac3ad7a5c8c|title=A Swedish Upstart Takes On WhatsApp, Reaching $95M In Revenue|last=MacBride|first=Elizabeth|work=Forbes|access-date=2018-05-30|language=en}} Over 10,000 people have joined the program.{{As of when|date=November 2022}}{{Cite news|url=https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2017-10-12/an-app-to-help-migrants-phone-home|title=An App to Help Migrants Phone Home|date=2017-10-12|work=Bloomberg.com|access-date=2018-05-29|language=en}}

In late 2017, Rebtel launched and published its first edition of Beyond Borders, an online magazine and community that curates and creates content and journalism for international migrants and immigrants.{{Cite web|url=https://www.mediapost.com/publications/article/311637/new-beyond-borders-pub-connects-immigrant-popula.html|title=New 'Beyond Borders' Pub Connects Immigrant Populations|language=en|access-date=2018-05-29}}

Rebtel launched a software development kit (SDK) in September 2012, allowing independent developers to integrate voice calling and instant messaging in their apps.{{cite web|title=Give your app a voice|url=http://developer.rebtel.com/|publisher=Rebtel|accessdate=9 January 2014}} The Rebtel SDK currently supports app-to-app communication over data—such as 3G or Wi-Fi—and uses the same backend as Rebtel’s own apps. Developers can decide how to handle aspects of the user experience, such as user management, ringtones, and calling screens.

In December 2013, Rebtel launched Sendly, an app that lets users top up the prepaid mobile phones of friends and family abroad.{{cite web|last=Crook|first=Jordan|title=Rebtel Launches Sendly, A Money Transfer App For Topping Up Pre-Paid Phones|date=16 December 2013 |url=https://techcrunch.com/2013/12/16/rebtel-launches-sendly-a-money-transfer-app-for-topping-up-pre-paid-phones/|publisher=Tech Crunch|accessdate=16 December 2013}}

Hjalmar Winbladh co-founded and spent seven years as president and CEO of Sendit AB, taking the firm public before it was acquired by Microsoft for US$127.5 million in 1999.{{cite web|url=https://www.wsj.com/articles/SB926561186619882911|title=Microsoft Announces Offer To Acquire Sweden's Sendit|date=May 13, 1999|publisher=The Wall Street Journal}} Rebtel appointed Andreas Bernström, formerly COO of TradeDoubler, as CEO in September 2009. In late 2015, Bernström left the company and was succeeded by Magnus Larsson.{{Cite web|url=https://digital.di.se/artikel/rebtel-startar-om--ska-bli-ett-whatsapp-for-internationella-samtal|title=Rebtel startar om – ska bli ett Whatsapp för internationella samtal|website=digital.di.se|date=28 January 2016|access-date=2018-05-29}} In 2014, a group of former executives from Tele2—a telecommunications company owned by Swedish investment company Kinnevik—approached the company’s owners with a proposal for a shift in strategy.

Following a brand overhaul, a product strategy shift to a subscription model and flat-rate pricing, and the launch of an independent work program (Activist), the company experienced a turnaround: it grew 40% after one year and reached a revenue of $95 million in 2017.{{Cite web |date=18 April 2018 |title=Rebtel blir fintechbolag: "Vi tittar på att köpa en neobank" |url=https://digital.di.se/artikel/rebtel-blir-ett-fintechbolag-vi-tittar-pa-att-kopa-en-neobank |access-date=2018-08-22 |website=digital.di.se |archive-date=2019-08-18 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190818214649/https://digital.di.se/artikel/rebtel-blir-ett-fintechbolag-vi-tittar-pa-att-kopa-en-neobank |url-status=live|language=sv}}{{Cite news|url=https://www.va.se/nyheter/2017/05/05/sa-lyckades-han-vanda-svenska-techbolagets-fall---genom-att-ifragasatta-allt/|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180529203456/https://www.va.se/nyheter/2017/05/05/sa-lyckades-han-vanda-svenska-techbolagets-fall---genom-att-ifragasatta-allt/|url-status=dead|archive-date=May 29, 2018|title=Så lyckades han vända svenska techbolagets fall - genom att ifrågasätta allt|work=Veckans affärer|access-date=2018-05-29|language=sv}} CEO Magnus Larsson told Thomson Reuters in 2017 that he had no plans to make the company public.

In 2020, Rebtel posted revenue above $150 million{{cite web|url=https://www.allabolag.se/5566803622/rebtel-networks-ab|title=RebTel Networks AB - Företagsinformation}} and seemed on track to exceed $200 million in 2021, mostly boosted by communication needs during COVID-19 lockdowns. In 2021, Rebtel split with Majority, a fintech with the aim of solving banking needs for immigrants. Rebtel then took on new management and has since positioned itself as a marketplace for the global immigrant population's cross-border communication and remittance needs.

• May 2005: Rebtel is registered by Hjalmar Winbladh and Jonas Lindroth.
• September 2006: Rebtel raises Series A round of US$20 million in external venture capital financing from Index Ventures and Balderton Capital.{{cite web|url=http://www.redherring.com/Home/18774|title=Rebtel Snags $20M First Round|date=September 25, 2006|publisher=Red Herring|accessdate=8 December 2009|url-status=dead|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20100202225214/http://redherring.com/Home/18774|archivedate=2 February 2010}}
• October 2009: Rebtel launches its iPhone application after a nine-month approval process with Apple.{{cite press release |publisher = Rebtel |date = October 21, 2009 |title = Apple Gives Green Light To Mobile VoIP iPhone App From Rebtel |url = http://newsroom.rebtel.com/2009/10/apple-gives-green-light-to-mobile-voip-iphone-app-from-rebtel/ |url-status = dead |archiveurl = https://web.archive.org/web/20091205214428/http://newsroom.rebtel.com/2009/10/apple-gives-green-light-to-mobile-voip-iphone-app-from-rebtel/ |archivedate = December 5, 2009}}
• June 2010: Rebtel reports a 100% jump in revenue over the previous year, increasing revenue from $8 million to $16 million. The service also logs its one billionth minute in international calls.{{cite press release |publisher = Rebtel |date = June 24, 2010 |title = Rebtel Makes International Calling Free With New Android App |url = https://techcrunch.com/2010/06/24/rebtel-makes-international-calling-free-with-new-android-app/}}
• January 2011: Rebtel reports 9 million users, revenues of more than $40 million in 2011, and a revenue run-rate projected to hit $75 million by the end of the year.{{cite press release |publisher = GigaOm |date = January 14, 2011 |title = Rebtel Aims at Skype With Free International Calling on BlackBerry |url = http://gigaom.com/2011/01/14/rebtel-aims-at-skype-with-free-international-calling-on-blackberrys/|archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20110114201350/http://gigaom.com/2011/01/14/rebtel-aims-at-skype-with-free-international-calling-on-blackberrys/|url-status = dead|archive-date = January 14, 2011}}
• November 2011: Rebtel is awarded the Swedish Innovation Award. Previous winners include music streaming service Spotify.{{cite press release |publisher = AF Consult |date = November 28, 2011 |title = The Innovation Award 2011 |url = http://www.afconsult.com/lt/-/Press/News/The-Innovation-Award-2011/?area=WW&areaID=48176 |url-status = dead |archiveurl = https://web.archive.org/web/20120421174939/http://www.afconsult.com/lt/-/Press/News/The-Innovation-Award-2011/?area=WW&areaID=48176 |archivedate = April 21, 2012}}
• September 2012: Rebtel releases its SDK, allowing developers to integrate voice calling into their applications.{{cite web|last=Lunden|first=Ingrid|title=Rebtel Takes On Twilio, Launches Free VoIP SDK For iOS And Android App Makers|date=24 April 2013 |url=https://techcrunch.com/2013/04/24/rebtel-takes-on-twilio-launches-free-voip-sdk-for-ios-and-android-app-makers/|publisher=TechCrunch|accessdate=24 April 2014}}
• December 2012: Rebtel reports revenues of $80 million and 20 million users.{{cite web|last=Lunden|first=Ingrid|title=Nipping At The Heels Of Skype, VoIP Provider Rebtel Passes 20M Users, $80M In Sales And A 2-Year Streak In The Black|date=19 December 2012 |url=https://techcrunch.com/2012/12/19/nipping-at-the-heels-of-skype-rebtel-passes-20m-users-and-80m-in-sales/|publisher=TechCrunch|accessdate=19 December 2012}}
• December 2013: Rebtel launches Sendly, a new service for transferring prepaid mobile credit internationally. Rebtel reports revenues of $95 million and 23 million users.
• January 2016: Rebtel appointed Magnus Larsson as CEO and communicated the goal of becoming the primary app for international calling (similar to WhatsApp for texting).{{Cite web|url=https://digital.di.se/artikel/rebtel-startar-om--ska-bli-ett-whatsapp-for-internationella-samtal|title=Rebtel startar om – ska bli ett Whatsapp för internationella samtal|website=digital.di.se|date=28 January 2016|access-date=2018-04-30}}
• April 2017: Rebtel says to Thomson Reuters that it seeks a $20 million "cash injection for growth."{{Cite news|url=https://www.reuters.com/article/rebtel-financing/swedish-telco-rebtel-seeks-20-mln-cash-injection-for-growth-idUSL5N1HD1O5|title=Swedish telco Rebtel seeks $20 mln cash injection for growth|agency=Reuters |work=U.S.|access-date=2018-04-30|language=en-US}}
• August 2017: Rebtel Activist's independent work program fuels rapid US market growth; the CEO claims a 20% growth target for 2017.
• December 2017: Rebtel launches an online magazine for migrants and international nomads worldwide.{{Cite web|url=https://www.mediapost.com/publications/article/311637/new-beyond-borders-pub-connects-immigrant-popula.html|title=New 'Beyond Borders' Pub Connects Immigrant Populations|language=en|access-date=2018-04-30}}
• April 2018: Rebtel announces it has closed its financing process, securing close to $20 million. Now, it aims to invest 130 million Swedish kronor in developing banking products and/or acquire a neo-bank to speed up the execution of the company's new strategy.{{Cite web|url=https://digital.di.se/artikel/rebtel-blir-ett-fintechbolag-vi-tittar-pa-att-kopa-en-neobank|title=Rebtel blir fintechbolag: "Vi tittar på att köpa en neobank"|website=digital.di.se|date=18 April 2018|access-date=2018-04-30|archive-date=2019-08-18|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190818214649/https://digital.di.se/artikel/rebtel-blir-ett-fintechbolag-vi-tittar-pa-att-kopa-en-neobank|url-status=dead}}

• Comparison of VoIP software

{{Reflist}}

Category:VoIP companies of Sweden

Category:Android (operating system) software

Category:IOS software

Category:Windows Phone software

Category:Companies based in Stockholm