A Very Mobile Magazine Christmas - August 2024

On International Hashtag Day, how did # Change Mobiles?

The first hashtag on Twitter (now X) was posted on 23rd August 2007 by social technology expert Chris Messina, who wanted a way to group conversations on the platform and make them searchable. 

Hashtags subsequently took off, with the 23rd August now marking International Hashtag Day. With Chris working alongside Twitter, the social media platform at the time saw real value in enabling users to search for topics with a single key.

In 2009, Twitter added an automatic search tool for users to comb the platform for specific hashtags and easily find the right content for them. Through grouping conversations together, users could scroll through subjects relevant to them at greater speed and build online communities around their hobbies, beloved sports teams and favourite artists.

Hashtags could also group together those in an event and assist people directly in real-time. As the potential of hashtags grew, mobile technology got behind it to create revenue.

Hashtags continue to have a significant impact on mobile technology, as while hashtags don’t directly generate revenue, they play a role in driving behaviours that do.

In the event of a disastrous event, users can find out more information and use it to protect themselves and their property. While there can be a lot of speculative posts, tech-savvy emergency services can utilise social media and use hashtags to advise locals.

Waterland Private Equity & Lebara Group Announce Partnership

Waterland Private Equity announced the acquisition of Lebara Group B.V, a Mobile Virtual Network Operator (MVNO) which offers top-quality telecommunications services to four million customers from across the UK, Netherlands, Germany, France and Denmark.

Waterland holds more than 25 years of experience in working with the telecommunications sector following this acquisition and aims to support Lebara’s growth ambitions.

This transaction marks a buyout by Waterland Private Equity from the main existing owners Alchemy and Triton Partners. Waterland has been in discussion with the sellers and their advisors, working out strategies for Lebara’s transition and continued growth.

Likewise, Lebara’s positioning as a value-focused challenger brand in the mobile SIM markets offers new growth opportunities, as customers in Europe continue to seek top-quality services at competitive prices. Lebara’s proven track record over the past few years, across its five markets, shows its ability to adapt, making it an ideal candidate for expansion. The partnership with Waterland will only strengthen this.

Wendy McMillan, Partner at Waterland Private Equity, said that the company was thrilled to partner with Lebara and its talented management team. 

“Lebara has built a strong brand and loyal customer base by providing high-quality mobile telecommunications services at competitive prices. We look forward to working closely with the management team to continue on Lebara’s growth journey together, leveraging our expertise in the telecommunications sector,” she said.

Stephen Shurrock, CEO of Lebara added: “We are excited to join forces with Waterland Private Equity. Their extensive experience and successful track record in the telecommunications industry make the Waterland team an ideal partner for us.

“It has also been our pleasure to work with Alchemy and Triton over the last few years. They have been hugely supportive of the Lebara turnaround, and have invested in the company to achieve significant growth.” 

See also in August

The HMD Barbie Phone Offers a Stylish Smartphone Break

Top 10: Emerging Technologies in Telecommunications

Top 10: Mobile Payment Apps

Explore the latest edition of Mobile Magazine and be part of the conversation at our global conference series, Tech & AI LIVE and Cloud & 5G LIVE. 

Discover all our upcoming events and secure your tickets today.

Mobile Magazine is a BizClik brand