Hi Yeigites!
Welcome to SA Rocks!! We think you guys/girls rocks so lets begin!
SA Rocks (SAR): Tell me about the people behind the product? (Just a few sentences on each of the founders!!)
Yeigo(Y): Yeigo was started by three B.Bus.Sci students, Wilter, Lungisa and myself. In 2006, we were also joined by Sebastian and Andrew. This founding group of five is responsible for the first version of Yeigo as well as the upcoming Yeigo Version 2.0.
Please refer to descriptions on the Yeigo Blog where all the members introduce themselves.
Rapelang: http://blog.yeigo.com/authors/48/Rapelang-Rabana
Wilter: http://blog.yeigo.com/authors/49/Wilter-du-Toit
Lungisa: http://blog.yeigo.com/authors/66/Lungisa-Matshoba
Andrew: http://blog.yeigo.com/authors/67/Andrew-Snowden
Sebastian: http://blog.yeigo.com/authors/69/Sebastian-Murray-Roberts
SAR: Why/How did this project come about?
Y: This is described in Wilter’s opening post.
SAR: Come down to my level and tell me how exactly Yeigo works?
Y: Register an account on our website with just your mobile number and email address. We send you an SMS which allows you to install Yeigo. Open Yeigo, and make calls for no charge to other Yeigo users and really cheap calls to non-Yeigo users. Just enter a number, or select a number from your phonebook and press the green dial button while you are in the Yeigo application, to start a call. Test credits are provided to test calls to non-Yeigo users.
Yeigo is able to offer this service my sending voice conversations over the internet, otherwise known as VoIP. The user therefore faces the cost of connecting to the internet, whether they are using Wi-Fi or 3G.
A large and growing knowledgebase covering a range of topics is available on the site.
SAR: I am interested in the legality of Yeigo… am I going to go prison if I use it?
Y: In 2005, legislation was passed in South Africa legalising the provision and use of VoIP. Our view is that the legislation did not discriminate between how you access these VoIP services, whether you use a fixed-line connection or connect through your mobile phone. Exactly how the operators will react is unclear, nor has Icasa provided a conclusive response.
There has been no indication that users will be penalised for using VoIP services.
SAR: Have you had some flack from the big cellular providers?
Y: The cellular operators have not made any contact with Yeigo.
SAR: ave you had any overseas interest?
Y: Yes, a number of our users are coming from the US and the UK.
SAR: Do you have any exciting new products or improvements on Yeigo coming up?
Yeigo Version 2.0 will be out in a matter of days and includes interconnection with IM clients like MSN.
SAR: At what rate is Yeigo growing? Are there Bazillions of people using it yet?
Y: Yeigo released in February 2007. First local public announcement was made end of March, and since then there has been strong interest in the product. Marketing of Yeigo will begin shortly. Right now, its very early days.
SAR: How commercial is Yeigo going? How many handsets are compatible and is this number growing quickly?
Y: Please refer to the list of compatible handsets.
Yeigo is working to support more phones and realizes the importance of this. Where possible, Yeigo will supply a version.
SAR: Thank you so much for talking to SA Rocks! Please keep us in the know and let our readers know how to take on Telkom and the Cellular bigwigs!
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