Internet-less access to Twitter is coming to entry-level phones used in emerging markets in a tie-up with Singapore’s U2opia Mobile.
The low-tech solution brings Twitter over 11 million people using U2opia’s Fonetwish service. The users dial the code *325# to receive the latest feed of trending topics on Twitter. Fonetwish has a similar tie-up with Facebook and uses a telecom protocol named USSD, or Unstructured Supplementary Service Data, which does not allow viewing of pictures, videos, or other graphics.
Only 20% of telecom users in emerging markets have access to data on their phones.
