LINE Euro-Americas Partners With Telefonica in Exclusive Firefox OS Deal

LOS ANGELES and MADRID, Feb. 4, 2014 /PRNewswire/ -- Telefonica and LINE Euro-Americas Corporation, subsidiary of LINE Corporation, owner and operator of the free call and messaging app, LINE, today announced a partnership to bring the LINE application exclusively to Telefonica subscribers across key Telefonica Firefox OS markets, including Venezuela, Peru, Spain, Colombia, Uruguay, Brazil and Mexico. Additional markets to be announced shortly.

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The partnership combines Telefonica's vast reach in Latin America and Europe, with LINE's rapidly growing popularity in these regions. In fact, LINE has reached over 330 million registered users worldwide at the start of 2014 with growth of over 58 percent in the third quarter of 2013 alone.

The LINE application is available globally via the Firefox OS Marketplace and will be exclusive to Telefonica subscribers in Venezuela, Peru, Spain, Colombia, Uruguay, Brasil and Mexico. The partnership will be supported by significant marketing campaigns by both LINE and Telefonica. In addition, special offers will be presented via Official LINE Accounts in select markets.

"This agreement marks the start of an exciting partnership between LINE and Telefonica. Telefonica is fully committed to bring the value of Firefox OS to our consumers and is already seeing this ecosystem as a fast growing customer base," said Francisco Montalvo, Director of Group Devices Unit, Telefonica S.A. "LINE's messaging app enables us to strengthen what we are already offering our customers and will open up even more collaborative opportunities in 2014."

Since June, Telefonica has launched Firefox OS in seven countries with several other carriers rolling out subsequent launches including Telenor, Deutsche Telekom and TIM. 

"By partnering with Telefonica we are underscoring our commitment to our expanding European and Latin American customer base," said  Jeanie Han, Chief Executive Officer, LINE Euro-Americas Corp. "At LINE, we realize the importance of family and friends in Hispanic culture and are very pleased to be able to offer our users expressive sticker messages, convenient voice and video calls, and games to better engage with those closest to them."

The LINE application is now available in the Marketplace, with devices expected to be launched in early Q1 containing the LINE app. Telefonica will also include the LINE application into new OS releases delivered to existing Firefox OS users.

About LINE Corporation
LINE Corporation is based in Japan and develops and operates the LINE app for smartphones. Since launching in June 2011, the LINE app has grown into a global service used in 230 countries, ranking first in the free app category in 60 countries. LINE offers free one-to-one and group messaging, as well as free domestic and international voice and video calls. LINE also includes a wide array of social elements such as fun and expressive stickers, a personal Home, a Timeline, and numerous LINE family apps, including LINE games and LINE camera. For more information about LINE, please visit http://linecorp.com/en/.  

About Telefonica
Telefonica is one of the largest telecommunications companies in the world in terms of market capitalisation and number of customers. From this outstanding position in the industry, and with its mobile, fixed and broadband businesses as the key drivers of its growth, Telefonica has focused its strategy on becoming a leading company in the digital world.

The company has a significant presence in 24 countries and a customer base that amounts more than 320 million accesses around the world. Telefonica has a strong presence in Spain, Europe and Latin America, where the company focuses an important part of its growth strategy. 

Telefonica is a 100% listed company, with more than 1.5 million direct shareholders. Its share capital currently comprises 4.551.024.586 ordinary shares traded on the Spanish Stock Market (Madrid, Barcelona, Bilbao and Valencia) and on those in London, New York, Lima, and Buenos Aires.

SOURCE LINE Corporation