Circles
Disrupting telecoms
Founded in 2014, Singapore-based Circles is a global technology company reimagining the telco industry with its SaaS platform, helping telco operators launch and operate successful digital brands. Today, Circles is partnering with operators in 15 countries across 6 continents with the mission to deliver digital experiences to millions of people through our businesses. Circles.Life is its digital lifestyle brand, seeking to empower and delight customers across the world by offering digital experiences that go beyond traditional telco services; currently active in countries including Singapore and Australia.
Circles was co-founded by Rameez Ansar, Abhishek Gupta, and Adeel Najam. The trio, who previously worked in companies like McKinsey, BCG, and Temasek Holdings, were frustrated with the status quo in the telco industry and decided to create their own telco. They started out at BLK 71, a startup hub in Singapore, and have since expanded to other countries.
Circles aims to revolutionize the telecommunications industry by offering customer-centric services. They focus on providing flexible, no-contract plans, lower prices, and better customer service compared to traditional telcos. They also built a proprietary operating system called Circles to create a superior customer experience and more competitive telco offerings.
It offers a range of digital mobile services, including voice, data, roaming, and international calls. They also provide Unlimited Data on Demand and Unlimited Outgoing Calls, catering to the modern consumer’s need for flexibility and customization. Additionally, they have launched digital lifestyle features like Discover, an AI-driven events and movie-based platform.
The brand is known for its bold and unconventional marketing campaigns. They have mocked traditional telcos for their long-term contracts, poor customer service, and expensive data options. Their campaigns often go viral, making them a key differentiator in the market.
Circles has seen significant growth since its launch. They have expanded to markets like Taiwan, Australia, Indonesia, and Japan. The company has also attracted investments from notable backers like Warburg Pincus, Peak XV Partners (formerly Sequoia Capital India & Southeast Asia), EDBI, and Founders Fund.