Product of the Day
Talk partners bridge
calling gap
Talk360 and Hayo are coming together to provide calling services with the potential to connect millions across more than 190 countries.
More people across the African diaspora can now stay connected through a partnership between Talk360 and Hayo, one of Africa’s largest voice aggregators.
By supplying voice minutes to Talk360, Hayo allows international calls to any mobile or landline number worldwide via the Talk360 app. While the caller requires an internet connection through Wi-Fi or mobile data, the receiver does not need internet access or the app to answer the call.
The GSMA’s State of the Mobile Internet 2023 report reveals that 57% of the global population can access mobile internet. There are an estimated 3.4-billion people that are not using over-the-top communications services, meaning apps like Talk360 are critical for bridging the gap. The partnership makes calling more affordable for customers by creating calling corridors with reduced rates due to high traffic volumes.
The partnership aligns with Talk360’s mission to make international calling accessible to everyone. In 2024, Hayo allowed Talk360 to connect over 4-million people globally.
“Hayo is focused on enabling on-the-ground innovation that has a positive impact on local people’s lives,” says Feraz Ahmed, CEO of Hayo. “Our partnership with Talk360 shows how we can help to connect African people with high-quality calling that is affordable and reliable.
“We believe in using our expertise to enable new digital experiences and deliver voice-based communications in new ways. For so many people in emerging markets, calling is still essential, and it is great to support Talk360 as it connects people to the services they need, at the right price point. There’s still room for innovation in voice. You just need to have vision.”
Hans Osnabrugge, CEO of Talk360, says: “Hayo is a great partner that understands our mission and what it takes to deliver quality calling across Africa. High-quality calling means that more people can stay connected and benefit from our services.
“Our services are growing across Africa with the combination of reliability and ease of use. We’ve made it our mission to give everyone access to voice services, and that has meant accepting extremely low top-up payments while offering top-ups anywhere our users regularly shop.
“We now have a diverse network of digital and physical locations, as well as the world’s first single checkout payment platform combining all local currencies and African payment methods.”
Call credits can be purchased from Talk360 in a variety of local currencies, and more than 200 payment methods are supported by its network of 500k POS in South Africa and its sister company NjiaPay. The receiver of the call does not need to be connected to the internet, nor own a smartphone. The app can connect calls to more than 190 countries, with average call rates ranging from 50-99% cheaper than traditional telcos.
