Twitter Inc is tying up with singapore-based startup to make its 140 -character messaging service available to users in emerging markets who have entry-level mobile phones which cannot access the Internet.
U2opia Mobile, which has a similar tie-up with Facebook Inc, will launch its Twitterservice in the first quarter of next year , chief Executive and co-founder sumesh Menon told Reuters.
Users will need to dial a simple code to get a feed of popular trending topiccs on Twitter, he said .
More than 11 million people use U2opia's Fonetwish service, which helps access Facebook ang google Talk on mobile without a data connection.
U2opia uses a telecom protocol named USSD, or unstrucutred Supplementary Service Data, which does not allow viewing of pictures, videos or other graphics.
"USSD as a vechile for Twitter is almost hand in glove because Twitter has by design a character limit, it's a very text-driven social network, 'Menon said.
Eight out of 10 people in emerging markets are still not accessing data on their phone, he said.
U2opia, which is present in 30 countries in several international languages, will localize the Twitter feed according to the location of the user.
"So somebody in Paraguay would definitely get content that would be very very localized to that market vis a vis somebody sitting in Mumbai or Bangalore, " he said.
The company , whose biggest markets are Africa and south America, partners with telecom carriers such as Telenor, vodafone and Bharti Airtel Ltd. U2opia Usually gets 30 to 40 percent of what users pay its telecom partners to access Fonetwish.
"For a lot end users in the emerging markets, it's going to be their first Twitter experince, "Menon said.
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