Lebara

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Lebara
IndustryTelecommunications
FoundedSeptember 2001
FounderBaskaran Kandiah
Rasiah Ranjith Leon Edit this on Wikidata
Headquarters
Netherlands
Area served
Europe, Saudi Arabia and Australia
Key people
Stephen Shurrock (CEO)[1]
ProductsMobile telecommunications services
RevenueIncrease EUR€ 400 million (2020)
OwnerAlchemy and Triton
Number of employees
400 (2016)
ParentVIEO B.V.
Websitewww.lebara.com

Lebara is a telecommunications company providing services in many countries around the world, using the mobile virtual network operator business model. The Lebara group provides pay-as-you-go and contract based mobile SIM cards.[2][3]

History[]

Lebara was founded in 2001 by Ratheesan Yoganathan, Rasiah Ranjith Leon and Baskaran Kandiah. The name Lebara was coined from the first two letters of each of the founders' names.[4]

At launch the company's initial product was international telephone calling cards, sold through independent mobile phone shops.[4] In 2004, Lebara Mobile launched a low-cost international service in the Netherlands, selling SIM cards using mobile carrier Telfort, a subsidiary of KPN.[4]

Subsequently, Lebara launched operations in 7 other countries including the UK, France, Spain, Switzerland, Germany, Australia and Denmark.

Lebara is currently owned by Vieo B.V. of which the majority shareholders are Alchemy and Triton. They gained ownership of the Lebara Group on 30 July 2019 from Palmarium.

In 2017 Lebara launched its first postpaid monthly contract SIMs in the Netherlands, as part of a move to appeal to a wider customer base.

Today Lebara focuses on traditional international calling market as well as offering SIM-only plans and post pay services. Lebara plans to offer 5G services as these become available.

Operations[]

The company currently operates in the United Kingdom, France, Denmark, the Netherlands and Germany with an annual turnover of €400m and 2.5m active customers. It has also entered into brand licence agreements for use of its trademarks in Australia, Switzerland, Saudi Arabia and Spain.

Country Partner network Website
 Australia Vodafone[5][6] https://www.lebara.com.au/
 Denmark Telenor[7] https://mobile.lebara.com/dk/
 France Bouygues Telecom until August 2021, now Orange[8] https://mobile.lebara.com/fr/
 Germany Telekom[9] https://mobile.lebara.com/de/
 Netherlands KPN[10] https://mobile.lebara.com/nl/
 Saudi Arabia Mobily[11] https://www.lebara.sa/
 Spain Vodafone[12] https://mobile.lebara.com/es/
  Switzerland Sunrise[13] https://lebara.ch/
 United Kingdom Vodafone[14] https://mobile.lebara.com/gb/

References[]

  1. ^ "Stephen J. Shurrock". UK Companies House. Retrieved 14 July 2021.
  2. ^ Wray, Richard (30 October 2007). "Vodafone calls up economic migrants". The Guardian. Retrieved 31 August 2008.
  3. ^ Wray, Richard (31 October 2007). "Vodafone partners new Sim-only service aimed at immigrants". The Guardian. Retrieved 31 August 2008.
  4. ^ a b c Garside, Juliette (17 November 2011). "Lebara co-founder made virtual phone network a real money-maker". The Guardian. Archived from the original on 26 December 2013.
  5. ^ "Lebara Mobile launches in Australia" (PDF) (Press release). Lebara. 30 March 2009. Archived from the original (PDF) on 17 May 2011. Retrieved 26 March 2014.
  6. ^ Lohman, Tim (30 March 2009). "Vodafone, Lebara launch new pre-paid mobile service". Computer World. IDG Communications. Archived from the original on 31 October 2012.
  7. ^ "Network status". Lebara. Retrieved 26 March 2014.
  8. ^ "Lebara Mobile enters French market" (PDF) (Press release). Lebara. 6 May 2010. Archived from the original (PDF) on 17 May 2011. Retrieved 26 March 2014.
  9. ^ "Global Market Leader Lebara Mobile launches in Germany" (PDF) (Press release). Lebara. 10 January 2010. Archived from the original (PDF) on 17 May 2011. Retrieved 26 March 2014.
  10. ^ "Persbericht" (PDF) (Press release) (in Dutch). Lebara. 2008. Archived from the original (PDF) on 16 May 2011. Retrieved 26 March 2014.
  11. ^ "Lebara Mobile to Launch MVNO in Saudi Arabia Shortly". cellular-news. 26 March 2014. Retrieved 26 March 2014.
  12. ^ "Lebara Mobile partners with Vodafone to launch low cost, high quality mobile services in Spain" (PDF) (Press release). Lebara. February 2007. Archived from the original (PDF) on 26 March 2014. Retrieved 26 March 2014.
  13. ^ "Lebara Mobile – slashes the cost of international mobile calling from Switzerland" (PDF). Lebara. 26 February 2007. Archived from the original (PDF) on 12 January 2014. Retrieved 26 March 2014.
  14. ^ "Lebara Mobile Launches Low Cost International SIM" (PDF) (Press release). Lebara. 31 October 2007. Archived from the original (PDF) on 12 January 2014. Retrieved 26 March 2014.

External links[]

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