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FRIENDSTER LAUNCHES THE FRIENDSTER LOOP CALLING CARD
Low International Calling Rates for Friends and Family Worldwide
MOUNTAIN VIEW, CA – April 22, 2009 – Friendster, Inc., a top 20 global Web site based on traffic* and the #1 social network in Asia, today announced the launch of The Friendster Loop, a pre-paid calling card with low, competitive rates, ideal for making international calls conveniently to over 220 countries. The Friendster Loop calling card is available immediately for use by anyone, including Friendster’s tens of millions of active users and Internet users around the globe. Users can register for The Friendster Loop at www.friendsterloop.com.
“Since pioneering online social networking six years ago, communicating and keeping in touch with family and friends has been at the core of Friendster’s online user experience,” said David Jones, vice president of global marketing at Friendster. “Now, social networking via Friendster is no longer limited to online communications. The Friendster Loop offers users the ability to connect with friends and family with the benefit of live, voice-based conversations. Connectivity online has now been expanded to include the warmth and emotion of the engaging human voice of someone you care about.”
Currently, 80 percent of Friendster’s tens of millions of active users have connections with friends or family in more than one country, more than 70 percent of Friendster’s active users place international phone calls, and more than 45 percent have purchased a calling card. “The Friendster Loop was launched due to consumer demand for even more communications offerings from the Friendster brand our members adore and embrace. While The Friendster Loop will take advantage of the projected $10 billion international prepaid calling card market in 2010, we’re also evaluating a number of additional communications-related business opportunities,” said Jones.
With The Friendster Loop, calls can be made to friends and family in any country worldwide, making staying in touch with friends and family overseas simple and convenient. The Friendster Loop calling card will initially be marketed and available in seven countries, including the United States, United Kingdom, Canada, the Philippines, Indonesia, Malaysia and Singapore, with additional countries being added soon. Current rates between any two countries are available at: www.friendsterloop.com/rates.
To use The Friendster Loop, users register through The Friendster Loop Web site (www.friendsterloop.com) and choose a 10-digit PIN and 4-digit security code. Then, when they want to make a call, they dial the toll-free access number for the country they are in, enter both their 10-digit PIN and 4-digit security code, and dial the telephone number of the person they are trying to reach.
The Friendster Loop calling card prepaid balance can be loaded with a credit card, and recharged by the user when needed or through a user-specified, prearranged auto-recharge when the balance drops below a specified amount. Friendster users can purchase The Friendster Loop card for themselves or as a gift for a friend or a family member. Additional payment options will be available in the coming months.
The Friendster Loop service is provided under a strategic partnership with IDT Corporation (NYSE: IDT; IDT.C), a leading provider of international telecommunications services including pre-paid and rechargeable calling cards, consumer local, long distance and wholesale carrier services.
Friendster users are encouraged to become a fan of The Friendster Loop calling card community by visiting The Friendster Loop Fan Profile: www.friendster.com/thefriendsterloop. The Fan Profile contains 14 promotional profile skins allowing users to easily decorate their Friendster profiles and tell their friends about The Friendster Loop. Fans of The Friendster Loop will be the first to learn about special offers and promotions surrounding the calling card.
Friendster Leads in Asia
Friendster is the #1 social network in Asia, with more than 75 million registered users. Plus, Asia is the largest market of Internet users (Asia has 41 percent of the world’s Internet users, more than double the 19 percent from the U.S.), and Asia is the fastest-growing region in the world.* Friendster has a loyal and growing user base throughout Asia in the following top 10 countries: Australia, China, Hong Kong, India, Indonesia, Japan, Malaysia, the Philippines, Singapore and South Korea.
About Friendster
With more than 100 million members worldwide, Friendster is a leading global online social network. Friendster is focused on helping people stay in touch with friends and discover new people and things that are important to them. Online adults, 18 and up, choose Friendster to connect with friends, family, school, social groups, activities and interests. Friendster prides itself in delivering an easy-to-use, friendly and interactive environment where users can easily connect with anyone around the world via www.friendster.com or m.friendster.com from any Internet-ready mobile device. Friendster has a growing portfolio of patents granted to the company on social networking, with more expected over the next several months. Headquartered in Mountain View, California, Friendster is backed by Kleiner Perkins Caufield & Byers, Benchmark Capital, DAG Ventures, IDG Ventures and individual investors. For more information, visit: www.friendster.com.
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Media Contact:
Lerin O'Neill
The Hoffman Agency for Friendster
+1.408.832.7083 (m)
+1.408.975.3037 (o)
press@friendster.com
*comScore Media Metrix, Worldwide Data, January 2009