New web-activated voice messaging launched on markt.de with Freespee technology

Using the platform developed at Freespee Labs, online media publishers can connect their users with simple phone calls using any phone and without installed applications. Classifieds publisher markt.de announced today the phone-enabled feature on their site as the first company in Germany.

Munich, Germany, December 20, 2010 – Online classifieds publisher markt.de and Freespee, a voice technology solution provider from Sweden, today announced the launch of a voice service using the Freespee API and the partnership to develop new features on markt.de classified ads which connect the users together using regular mobile phones, without the need for smartphones and installed applications.

With the new announced functionality, users of the markt.de personals can leave each other short voice messages, which appear instantly on the markt.de user profiles. For the markt.de users, it is Voice messaging as easy and comfortable as text messaging. Callers do not have to have microphones and go through complicated settings on their computer, but rather make a phone call to a regular telephone number, and speak their message. The feature works on 100% of all telephones and is instantly available to all markt.de users. Recipients are notified by emails about new incoming voice messages. The telephone calls only cost as much as any local call, and mobile users can use their monthly minutes from their mobile operator plan.

Freespee’s CEO Carl Holmquist says that voice should be natural part of any web service: “When you think about it, online communications nowadays – even with the innovation that has arrived with social media – is mostly text only. Text is easy, but Voice is more personal, emotional and can help building trust between people.”

“The Freespee service on markt.de combines the benefits of voice with the privacy and simplicity of text messaging. Our partners build services driven by the powerful Freespee API. With a few lines of code, our partners build innovative voice applications for their users in no time”, Holmquist concludes.

markt.de’s CEO Sang-Woo Pai says: “Classified ads are becoming more and more mobile. Yet mobile users rarely want to type long messages - it’s much easier to leave a quick phone message. Voice services are naturally the next wave for the mobile net. Freespee is a great strategic partner. We are looking forward to expanding the joint service offering further.”

The service is free of charge for the first 1000 ads for publishers who want to try out the classifieds service.

Contact information for media and customers:

Tobias Karlsson

Country Manager, Germany

Freespee Voice: +49 (0) 69-8700 171 45

Freespee Email: tobias.karlsson (at) freespee.com

Freespee AB, headquartered in Uppsala, Sweden, is a technology company providing intelligent voice solutions for the media and advertising industries. In only 2 years time, the Company has become de facto standard and count customers among leading media companies in 10 European countries. More info at http://www.freespee.com

markt.de is one of the leading online marketplaces in Germany with more than 1.5 million active ads. It receives over 200,000 visitors per day, and in addition to free classifieds, it has paid listings in the real estate categories. markt.de also offers the visitor the opportunity to place personal classifieds online. More info at https://www.markt.de