Phone start-up takes on Google
Simon Hayes
JANUARY 31, 2006
AN Adelaide software startup is spoiling for a brawl with Google as it prepares for the launch of a technology that allows internet users to click on any phone number to set up an instant call.
Pep-Talk International has patented on-the-fly conversion of phone numbers into telephone calls, allowing it to sell the service to companies that want to receive instant feedback from customers.
The patent sets it up in competition with Google, which is offering click-to-call on Google Ads.
The company is launching the service with the help of an $80,000 federal Government COMET (Commercialising Emerging Technologies) grant.
It is willing to take on external investors.
"The patent is for converting phone numbers into clickable phone calls on the fly," Pep-Talk marketing and sales director Bill Oborn said.
"With Google Ads they integrate the phone number with their switch."
Pep-Talk is a spin-off of SkunkWorks, an Adelaide telecommunications services company.
It has been testing the technology with Australian customers and is planning to take it overseas shortly.
SkunkWorks offers services including billing, voicemail and SMS alerts.
Internet users do not need to download software to use Pep-Talk. They either visit the website of a company that subscribes or surf the web through the Pep-Talk portal.
Pep-Talk is tipping a number of business models, ranging from a company subscribing to click-enable its phone numbers, to a revenue-sharing deal with a telecommunications carrier.
"Pep-Talk turns any phone number in an email, a directory, or even a search engine, into a clickable phone call," Mr Oborn said. "We don't need to integrate into anyone's back-end.
"You just click on the phone link, and two phones ring, yours and the company's.
"The company pays for the incoming call in the same way it would pay for an 1800 call."
Apart from live calls via Google Ads, Pep-Talk faces competition from LivePerson, which offers text-based instant-help calls, and voice over internet protocol applications such as Skype.
Pep-Talk's advantage was that users did not have to download software, and service providers did not have to do any integration work, Mr Oborn said.
"Our service is ubiquitous," he said.
"Skype is great and has its place, but right now our product is ubiquitous. Anyone in the world who has a phone can use it."
The self-funded company would use the COMET grant, signed recently, to finance Pep-Talk, he said.
"We can grow organically because we are a cashed-up, self-funded organisation.
"If a big partner came along and wanted to play with us, then absolutely.
"It's such a hot space."
The Australian