Gorilla Mobile, Singapore’s newest mobile virtual network operator, is set to roll out blockchain technology to offer contract-free services and allow users to convert unused data into redeemable tokens on its app.
Fast facts:
- Gorilla Mobile’s service model will allow users to access mobile services without contracts, and a proprietary feature named SwitchBack will permit unused data to be converted into non-expiring, shareable tokens that can be used to pay bills or buy in-app services.
- At a pre-launch event today ahead of a full launch in September, the operator is offering a separate S$25 (US$18.60) monthly service plan that includes 100 minutes of call time, 100 text messages and 20 gigabytes of local mobile data, and which will include the SwitchBack feature.
- There are a number of practical uses for blockchain in the telecoms sector, including digital identity management, more efficient billing for roaming, fraud prevention and helping mobile app developers access cloud computing. Although telecommunications operators in China and elsewhere began offering blockchain-powered features as early as 2019, this is the first time they have been rolled out by a telecoms firm in Singapore.
