European telecoms giant Telefónica has launched its own VoIP-based communications app, positioning itself against popular over-the-top (OTT) services that have captured billions in operator revenue in recent years.
Operators across Europe have felt pressure from services such as Skype and WhatsApp. Companies including Telefónica, Deutsche Telekom and Vodafone have signaled plans to introduce their own Rich Communication Services (RCS) and similar offerings, aiming to leverage their network infrastructure and longstanding customer relationships to regain control over voice, messaging and multimedia services.
Telefónica’s new free app, called TU Me, is initially available for iPhone users, with an Android version promised soon. The app supports text messaging, voice calls, voice messaging, photo sharing and location sharing. Conversations and interactions are displayed in a timeline format, making it simple to review past exchanges and maintain a conversation history.
“We’ve seen the growing popularity of communications apps on smartphones, but we believe we’ve gone one step further with TU Me by applying our knowledge of how people use their devices,” said Stephen Shurrock, Chief Commercial Officer at Telefónica Digital.
“TU Me puts your communications into a single place, free of charge, and offers an easy way for people to stay connected with those who matter most. It also reflects the innovation, speed and agility of Telefónica Digital,” he added.
The app stores user content in the cloud so that messages, calls and media remain available when signing back into the app, even if a device is lost. Telefónica says TU Me allows users to make calls, send voice messages, instant messages, photos and location data from one unified control within a single screen, removing the need to switch between apps or tabs.
TU Me is the first consumer-facing product from Telefónica Digital and marks the first time the operator has launched a single product worldwide regardless of individual market boundaries.
On monetization, Shurrock told Bloomberg the company sees potential for business models similar to Skype’s, though he declined to specify projected revenue or user numbers for the year.
By combining core communication features, cloud storage and a streamlined, timeline-based interface, TU Me represents Telefónica’s effort to offer a carrier-backed alternative to OTT services while retaining the convenience, social features and cross-device continuity that users have come to expect from modern messaging and calling apps.