Charity upgrading in Telecom… Ello Mobile, TOMMY Telecom, Call4Care

Banking & professional services

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Ello Mobile gives 100% of its profits to charity. A “profit for non-profit” business model. The Belgian mobile operator is purely web-based and aims to attract 1% of the Belgian market by 2014, thereby gathering minimum 6.2M euro per annum for charity. Projects are selected by an independant jury, and support initiatives in Sumatra’s rainforest and Mobile schools in South-America. Similar, the Dutch Call4Care donates 10% of your phone costs to charity.  TOMMY Telecom used to reward customers for sponsoring causes, but it is unclear if this is still the case after integrating with Nederland Mobiel. Ello Mobile and Call4Care’s “profit for non-profit” model offers people a convenient opportunity to support a good cause without any complexity or price premium attached to it; charity without a hassle or price tag.

Charity Upgrading – upgrading your product or service by systematic donation to charity – is applied outside the telecom sector as well, for example in gambling and waste handling. Bet2Give is a real-money prediction market where participants invest in predictions about the future, and give their winnings away to non-profit organizations of their choice. College Hunks Hauling Junk donates a portion of its revenue to College Bound, a non-profit scholarship program. Do you know other examples? Can you upgrade your product or service by supporting charity? Or can you link your good cause to a “no hassle” product or service offer?