Telecommunications corporation Deutsche Telekom invested $7.5m in Pinger, a US-based provider of free mobile communications services, on Thursday, through its corporate venturing division, T-Venture.
The round is the third, after a $3m series A round backed by Kleiner Perkins Caufield & Byers (KPCB) in 2005 and an $8m round which saw participation from KPCB and fellow venture capital firm DAG Ventures the year after.
Pinger is aiming to build the world’s first entirely free global communication network with carrier backing. The firm cites research by internet market research company comScore which indicates that Pinger’s US communication products are installed on 23% of iOS mobile devices.
Pinger is now looking to expand its operations around the world, having launched its service in Germany last year with the Pinger DE application. Bernhard Gold, investment director for T-Venture, will join Pinger’s board of directors in conjunction with the funding.
Gold said: "T-Venture has been impressed with Pinger’s success in the United States. Our strategic investment is aimed to support Pinger’s international expansion especially to Europe where we’re confident that the company will replicate the success it orchestrated in the United States."