Lycamobile eyes Canadian market

European pre-pay mobile virtual network operator (MVNO) Lycamobile is in talks with a number of Canadian wireless companies to enable it to expand its low-cost services to the Canadian market, reports The Globe and Mail. Lycamobile’s low cost international mobile services are predominantly aimed at immigrants and other ethnic consumers who regularly call and text family and friends living abroad. ‘We will target, of course, the bigger communities – the Asian communities, the Chinese communities, the Indian communities… But typically Lyca’s approach is not to exclude any particular community,’ said Lycamobile Group CEO Milind Kangle. The company is aiming to launch services in Canada later this year, initially focusing on major urban centres like Vancouver, Toronto and Montreal, offering unlimited and pay-as-you-go plans. Established in 2006, Lycamobile has signed up around 20 million customers in 16 countries, including Britain, France, Germany and Australia; it aims to have operations in 25 countries by the end of 2013.