Circles.Life

Circles.Life is a digital Telco company based in Singapore. The company was founded in 2016, initially operating exclusively in Singapore, leasing its network from M1.[1]

Circles.Life
TypePrivate company
IndustryTelecommunications
FoundedMay 2016 (2016-05)
Headquarters
Singapore
Area served
Singapore (home market), Australia, and Taiwan
Key people
Rameez Ansar
Abhishek Gupta
Adeel Najam
ServicesMobile and Digital services
Number of employees
1000+
ParentLiberty Wireless Pte Ltd
Websitewww.circles.life
circles.asia
circles.co

In July 2015, Liberty Wireless signed an agreement with M1 Limited that allowed it to tap into M1's mobile network, thus becoming the first MVNO, operating as Circles Asia, in Singapore to offer a full service mobile network experience.[2] It has since expanded to Taiwan and Australia, where it leases the Chunghwa Telecom and Optus networks, respectively.

Circles.Life operates its customer service through live chat and email.

In February 2019, the company announced that it had closed an undisclosed round of funding with Sequoia South East Asia and had plans to expand in five new markets, including Taiwan and Australia over the next 18 months.[3] The company has expanded its offerings by launching digital lifestyle features such as its AI-driven events and movie-based platform, 'Discover'.[4] In June 2019, the company closed another round of funding for an undisclosed amount, led by Singapore’s Government-linked EDBI and Founders Fund. This marks the first time the Silicon Valley-based Founders Fund has invested in a telco.[5]

The company launched into its first overseas market, Taiwan, in June 2019,[6] followed by Australia in September 2019.[7]

History

2016

  • June 2016: Circles.Life launches, making it Singapore's fourth telco.[8]

2018

  • March 2018: Circles.Life launches Unlimited Data on Demand, to provide customers with a daily Unlimited Data option.[9] It also adds the option of Unlimited Outgoing Calls.

2019

  • February 2019: Circles.Life announces that it has closed an undisclosed round of funding with Sequoia India.[10]
  • June 2019: Circles.Life expands into its first overseas market, Taiwan.[6]
  • June 2019: Circles.Life announces that it has closed an undisclosed round of funding with Singapore's Government-linked EDBI and Founders Fund.[11]
  • August 2019: Circles.Life expands to its second overseas market, Australia.[12]

2020

  • February 2020: Circles.Life announces that it has closed an undisclosed round of funding with Warburg Pincus.[13]
  • October 2020: Circles.Life launches in Indonesia as Live.On.[14]

2021

  • September 2021: Circles.Life launches in Japan as povo2.0[15]

2022

  • July 2022: Circles.Life was reportedly in early talks to merge with SPAC Bridgetown in a US$2.5B deal.[16] This could be the third SPAC merger with a Singaporean company, the second in 2022.

Markets

Operating as a digital telco, it purchases bandwidth from other MNOs, replacing traditional brick-and-mortar stores with its own online consumer business. This enables Circles.Life to provide voice, messaging, and data services to customers: becoming the first digital telco in Singapore to offer full service mobile network services. To do away with physical retail stores, Circles.Life delivers its SIM cards and mobile phones to customers through third party services, such as SingPost in Singapore.[17]

Singapore

In July 2015,[18] Circles.Life's parent company, Liberty Wireless Pte Ltd, signed an agreement with M1 Limited to deliver voice, messaging, and data services as an MVNO using M1's mobile network, which has 4G+ outdoor coverage of 99.92% of Singapore.[19] The company's offering launched to the public in June 2016.[20] Customers may also choose to pick up its SIM cards at selected convenience stores and post offices as alternatives to courier services.[17][21]

Taiwan

Circles.Life launched its digital services in Taiwan with a no-contract base plan.[22] The infrastructure partner uses Chunghwa Telecom's (CHT) network.[22] Circles.Life offers an add-on option for data-heavy users, under which for a monthly fee, users can add unlimited data to their base plans.[22]

Australia

Circles.Life launched its digital services in Australia through a strategic partnership with Optus.[23]

Indonesia

In 2020, Circles.Life launched its digital services "Live.On" in Indonesia. The infrastructure partner uses XL Axiata 4.5G network.

References
  1. Ho, Victoria (5 May 2016). "Singapore's fourth mobile operator launches with plans for the data-hungry". Mashable. Retrieved 25 April 2019.
  2. "Liberty Wireless signs deal with M1 to offer mobile services". www.businesstimes.com.sg. 8 July 2015. Archived from the original on 13 July 2015. Retrieved 7 October 2021.
  3. "Circles.Life to expand to Taiwan, Australia this year after securing Sequoia investment". ChannelNews Asia. Retrieved 25 June 2019.
  4. "Discover by Circles.Life". Discover by Circles.Life. Retrieved 25 June 2019.
  5. Lim, Sean (14 February 2019). "Circles.Life to go global with investment from EDBI and Facebook's early investor". e27. Retrieved 25 June 2019.
  6. "Circles.Life launches its first overseas mobile services in Taiwan". The Business Times. Retrieved 25 June 2019.
  7. "Circles.Life enters Australia market through tie-up with Singtel's Optus". The Straits Times. Retrieved 25 June 2019.
  8. "Circles.Life, Singapore's 4th Telco Launches Today". Weekender Singapore. 6 May 2016. Retrieved 25 April 2019.
  9. hermes (2 March 2018). "Circles.Life offers unlimited mobile data daily add-on". The Straits Times. Retrieved 25 April 2019.
  10. hermes (14 February 2019). "Sequoia-backed Singapore telco Circles.Life to invest over $250 million in overseas push". Reuters. Retrieved 25 April 2019.
  11. Lim, Sean (14 February 2019). "Circles.Life to go global with investment from EDBI and Facebook's early investor". e27. Retrieved 25 June 2019.
  12. "New telco Circles.Life launches in Australia with four months for free". 7News AU. Retrieved 25 June 2019.
  13. "Digital telco startup Circles.Life bags funding from Warburg Pincus". The Business Times. 11 February 2020. Retrieved 27 October 2020.
  14. "Live.On: Brand Telekomunikasi Digital Baru Hadir Memberikan Pengguna Kendali Penuh Atas Layanan Data". XL Axiata (in Indonesian). 5 October 2020. Retrieved 5 October 2020.
  15. "Circles.Life to go global with investment from EDBI and Facebook's early investor". KDDI Corporation. 13 February 2019. Retrieved 13 September 2021.
  16. PropertyGuru
  17. TTR, Team (27 September 2017). "Circles.Life strengthens customer experience by launching SIM card Self-Collection with SingPost". The Tech Revolutionist. Retrieved 7 February 2020.
  18. "Liberty Wireless signs deal with M1 to offer mobile services". Business Times. Retrieved 7 February 2020.
  19. "Quality of Service Performance Results for October-December 2017 - Infocomm Media Development Authority". Base. Retrieved 25 April 2019.
  20. "Circles.Life launches its first overseas mobile services in Taiwan". Business Times. Retrieved 7 February 2020.
  21. Salim, Zafirah (19 November 2019). "Circles.Life Will Waive S$28 Off Your First Bill When You Self-Collect SIM Card at 7-Eleven". Vulcan Post. Retrieved 7 February 2020.
  22. "Circles.Life expands to Taiwan". Singapore Business Review. 25 June 2019. Retrieved 7 February 2020.
  23. "Singapore-based Circles.Life launches in Australia with 'More Likeable Than Hateable'". Mumbrella. Retrieved 24 April 2017.
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