Twitter has reportedly collaborated with Singapore-based startup U2opia Mobile to offer its 140 character text-only experience in emerging markets where consumers cannot access Internet.
Offering similar services to Facebook, U2opia Mobile uses a telecom protocol named Unstructured Supplementary Service Data (USSD) and allows users to dial a simple code to receive a Twitter feed of the popular trending topics.
USSD telecom protocol does not allow viewing of pictures, videos or other graphics.
U2opia Mobile chief executive and co-founder Sumesh Menon told Reuters that the new Twitter service would be launched in the first quarter of 2014.
"USSD as a vehicle for Twitter is almost hand in glove because Twitter has by design a character limit, it’s a very text-driven social network," Menon said.
"For a lot of end users in the emerging markets, it’s going to be their first Twitter experience."
About eight in 10 user in emerging markets are still not accessing data on their phone, the report added.
