Exporting Chikkatxt

Emilio, a Chilean hotelier, claims to have spent the best part of his late twenties in Manila, where he had been assigned by an international chain, in the course, tasting all the Philippines had to offer, and when he left, taking with him a mean "texting" habit and one scroll of a phone book.

Now residing in Singapore, he continues to indulge with his friends, in texting through a new application rightfully called "ChikkaTxt Messenger." Emilio "sees" his Pinoy barkada online through their PCs or mobiles. He sends text, absolutely free from his PC. His friends simply "text back (except, their message zip through the Internet and into a PC at Emilio’s Bugis Junction shophouse)." The messages are delivered, extremely reliable, and fast, just like texting, we’ve been used to!

One might call it a non-traditional Philippine export. And why not, ChikkaTxt represents both a product and a way of life for the thousands who have downloaded the application from their PCs since it was launched in early August.

Chikka is nothing but cell phone-to-PC, PC-to-cell phone, and even PC-to-PC texting. To those who are familiar with the Instant Messaging (IM) platform, already used by millions of PC users all over the world, Chikka is the world’s first completely mobile IM. For example, from his mobile phone, the user is able to view buddies who are online through their PCs.

"It is not surprising that the first mobile Instant Messenger was born in the text capital of the world," says Dennis Mendiola, CEO of Chikka Holdings Ltd. "You want anybody’s attention in this country, whether he be in a boardroom, in a jeepney, or in the Palace? Text him," the technopreneur says.

It is in this context that ChikkaTxt Messenger proclaims it is "how the world and the Philippines talk" nowadays. Already, registered users have indicated they have downloaded ChikkaTxt from their PCs from all over the United States and Europe, and in countries like Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Australia, New Zealand, Japan, Korea, parts of China, and throughout Southeast Asia.

Many have a compelling reason to communicate with Filipinos back home, but not all are Pinoys, and many have also found ChikkaTxt an efficient way to communicate with anyone in the world who is online through their PCs.

Mendiola envisions launching ChikkaTxt with GSM carriers in many different countries. SMS, mind you, isn’t a purely Philippine phenomenon. It has already exploded in countries like Germany and elsewhere in Europe. Over 20 billion messages are being exchanged every month worldwide, according to the GSM World, the association of GSM operators.

The Philippines, with the heaviest text volume per capita in the world, sometimes presenting challenges to current infrastructure, was the chosen launch pad for what is really a global service.

"We say: if we could make it there (in Manila), we’ll make it anywhere," Mendiola adds, with lines originally taken from a song about that Great American city. But that’s another story.

Download ChikkaTxt Messenger for free at www.chikka.com.