Your cell phone bills may start to get cheaper. Why? Well just like traditional fixed land-line prices dropped to virtually nothing due to new technology, most notably Voice Over IP (VOIP), the same thing may very well happen to your cell phone as well. An Israeli hi-tech start-up, Spikko ltd. is set to launch a free cellular telephone service for handsets with at least 3G capabilities.

According to a report in Globes: “Each subscriber receives the company’s SpikkoPhone software and an Israeli telephone number, which is used to make calls and accumulate airtime, allowing for the placing of calls for free anywhere in the world. The service also offers video and chat services, and will soon also offer e-mail and instant messaging.”

Currently it’s available in Israel only, but the company is working on making the service available internationally. The company estimates that customers will save between 40-80% off existing bills.

It will take time for cellular prices to drop down to levels that we pay with our landlines. It’s not something that will happen overnight, but with companies like Spikko, and others trying to do similar things, I have a hunch that cellphone companies better figure out other revenue streams, like content and other value added services, because it does stand to reason that we will continue to see price erosion on airtime charges.

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Aaron Katsman is Managing Editor of the Israel Opportunity Investor newsletter. He is lead portfolio manager for the Israel Growth Portfolio and Managing Director of America Israel Investment Associates, LLC. For more information, go to www.israelnewsletter.com or call 1-888-327-6179, or email aaron@profile-financial.com.

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Aaron Katsman
www.IsraelNewsletter.com

Shares of Audiocodes (AUDC), an Israeli provider of Voice over IP (VOIP) technology, are surging on the heels of a strong earnings report. The company reported record earnings, an indicated strong growth for the remainder of this year as well as for 2009.

This small VOIP company has long been overlooked by the financial community, but the fundamentals make this an interesting play for long-term investors.

The company has a PEG of less than 0.6, and has over $137 million in cash and cash equivalents. Audiocodes has a market-cap of $177, which means that it’s trading at a discount to revenues as well. Throw in a 4,000,000 share buyback and this could be a sleeper. 

Investors should be aware that for the last 3.5 years, shares in Audiocodes have gone in just one direction, straight down. With that being said, today’s report, potentially, maybe the jump-start needed to break the downward spiral, and be the catalyst to help propel shares going forward. 

Disclosure: Author’s fund has no position in AUDC, fund has no position in any other stock mentioned as of 4/30/08.

Please see our Disclaimer HERE.

NEW! Introducing Israel Opportunity Investor, our monthly subscription-only newsletter. Stay ahead of the game and make smart decisions in Israel stocks. Go here to learn more.

Aaron Katsman is Managing Editor of the Israel Opportunity Investor newsletter. He is lead portfolio manager for the Israel Growth Portfolio and Managing Director of America Israel Investment Associates, LLC. For more information, go to www.israelnewsletter.com or call 1-888-327-6179, or email aaron@profile-financial.com.

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