GigSky
 | |
| Industry | |
|---|---|
| Founded | 2010 |
| Founder | Ravi Rishy-Maharaj |
| Headquarters | 2390 El Camino Real, Palo Alto, California, United States |
Area served | Global |
Key people |
|
| Website |
www |
GigSky is a mobile technology company offering a global mobile data service. By means of its app and a GigSky SIM card, or an Apple SIM, it enables users to connect to a local data network while overseas.[1][2] GigSky also offers services for SMB and enterprise customers, and provides mobile data for airline EFB solutions.[3]
History
GigSky was founded in 2010 by Ravi Rishy-Maharaj.[4][5] An important development for the company happened in 2014, when Apple launched an innovative technology called Apple SIM to instantly connect travelers with local data networks internationally.[6] In June 2015, Apple and GigSky teamed up to offer travelers automatic high-speed wireless connection to local data networks by means of iPads with Apple SIM cards.[7]
Norwegian Air Lines started using GigSky’s service in late 2013 to support its electronic flight bag (EFB) product.[3] In August 2015, GigSky announced a deal with Obi Worldphone – a device backed by former Apple CEO John Sculley – to integrate the GigSky service into Obi’s SF1 and SJ1.5 devices.[8] In order to help companies expense mobile data use, GigSky struck a deal with Concur in September 2015.[4]
Services
GigSky provides a data-only service that enables users to instantly connect their mobile phone to a local data network in more than 140 countries and territories.[9] Before traveling, the user downloads the app, makes a profile and adds a credit card. When arriving to another country, the app, available for Apple iOS and Google Android, auto-detects the country.[10] The GigSky SIM card can be put in either the main or secondary SIM slot. The customer is then able to purchase a local data plan.[7]
In case of an Apple SIM-equipped iPad, the user chooses the GigSky option on the iPad and picks the available plan, pays up and starts surfing.[11] The network that the iPad has created can be shared by other users by way of the hotspot feature. This way, several users in the same area can benefit from the pre-paid service.[12] The pre-installed Apple SIM can be bought only in mobile iPads sold in the US and the UK, but since June 2015, it has been sold separately in 10 other countries.[13]
GigSky varies the charge based on what it pays in specific countries.[12] Data can be pre-purchased as needed for a given location with no risk of high cost overages.[6] A single account can manage multiple SIMs within the app, so that an entire group of SIMs can be managed based on team or company department.[4]
References
- ↑ Nikki Ekstein (30 June 2015). "Apple is upending the international data roaming game". Fortune. Retrieved 17 January 2016.
- ↑ Abigail Stevenson (7 July 2015). "Cramer Remix: Recession written all over one stock". CNBC. Retrieved 17 January 2016.
- 1 2 Klaus Olsen (July 2014). "Norwegian EFB Connectivity". Aircraft IT. Retrieved 22 January 2016.
- 1 2 3 "Road Warriors Need Easy Access to International Data". PYMNTS.com. 6 October 2015. Retrieved 17 January 2016.
- ↑ Rebecca Grant (21 December 2012). "Funding Daily: Survival of... everyone". Venture Beat. Retrieved 17 January 2016.
- 1 2 Nikki Ekstein (30 June 2015). "Apple is Totally Changing the International Data Roaming Game". Travel and Leisure. Retrieved 17 January 2016.
- 1 2 Neil Hughes (30 June 2015). "Apple SIM goes global: GigSky brings iPad data plans to more than 90 countries & territories". Apple Insider. Retrieved 17 January 2016.
- ↑ Jack Lloyd (31 August 2015). "Obi Worldphone: what the hell is it and why should you care?". The American Genius. Retrieved 22 January 2016.
- ↑ Jordan Kahn (21 June 2016). "GigSky expands international iPad data plans to 140+ countries with Apple SIM". 9to5 Mac. Retrieved 24 June 2016.
- ↑ Geoffrey Morrison (31 October 2014). "GigSky Travel SIM Review". Forbes. Retrieved 17 January 2016.
- ↑ "How to get global data roaming with your Apple SIM iPad". Australian Business Traveller. 1 July 2015. Retrieved 17 January 2016.
- 1 2 Michael Frank (21 July 2015). "Your iPad Travels Better Than Your iPhone". Outside. Retrieved 17 January 2016.
- ↑ Romain Heuillard (1 July 2015). "GigSky et Apple SIM : se connecter en voyage avec une carte SIM universelle" (in French). Clubic. Retrieved 17 January 2016.