Telegram bot for cheap calls

Latvian company launched a Telegram bot that enables lower rates on international calls with payments in Bitcoin.

The Latvian-Canadian group 120 minutes designed a bot Callcoin that provides international calls up to 10 times cheaper than standard rates. The name comes from Call and Bitcoin, as the new service promises high-quality telephony via callback instead of VoIP and accepts payments in Bitcoin cryptocurrency.

“Bitcoin is no longer considered fraud or some weird thing all over the world. Bitcoin market capitalization exceeded $10 billion and the service is accepted as a valid payment system at the biggest marketplaces. Online privacy is of great importance for people and they are ready for new products, which can deliver on this promise.

Callcoin is the first Telegram bot that provides call services and the first service that offers a winning solution with payments in cryptocurrency,” said Dmitry Chuyenko, creator of Callcoin and CEO of 120 minutes.

With Callcoin a call from Canada to France costs around 4 eurocents per minute, US – Italy – 5-6 ec/min, Mexico – Spain – only 3 ec/min, while standard rates for the same calls vary between 10 and 20 eurocents. Users can top up their credits with Bitcoin and recharge codes, and send them to anyone. Plus, they can access their history, check the tariffs, rent a different phone number, set a Caller ID and set multiple numbers for call-back.

At the moment, the bot works in English and Russian. Users do not have to register with their own phone number to use the bot.

The company is backed by Nick Ustinov,  founder of Roamer app, popular Latvian email service Inbox.lv and owner of translation platform for software developers Lokalise.co. In the first year, it aims to connect 100,000 users, and to expand its functionality, particularly, to offer other not call-related financial solutions for the Bitcoin owners.