Fonetwish lets Indonesians access Facebook by dialing ‘*325#’ — no Internet needed

Singapore-based app development company U2opia Mobile has developed an app, Facebook by Fonetwish, that allows Indonesians to check their Facebook profiles, update their status, and view their friends’ walls, all without Internet access.

The app has been launched by Telkomsel, Indonesia’s largest telecom provider, to its 106 million subscribers last week. To access Facebook, users will need to dial *325# to begin.

So far, Fonetwish already has a reach of over 300 million people worldwide.

“We are enthused by response to Fonetwish by Facebook application. Indonesia has the highest adoption of the Facebook in the region and we expect a good response to this service”, said Ririn Widaryani, Deputy VP Product Lifecycle Management Telkomsel.

The country has about 40 million Facebook users, one of the largest Facebook markets in the world.

Founded in 2010 by Sumesh Menon and Ankit Nautiyal, U2opia Mobile has a presence in India, Southeast Asia, Africa, and the Middle East. Last year, they received funding of an undisclosed amount from sole investor Matrix Partners India, a US venture capital firm.