Transatel Snapshot
Transatel targets travelers. The company offers discounted international wireless phone services aimed at European frequent travelers. As a mobile virtual network operator (MVNO), it resells the service under its own brand but delivers it through other carriers' networks. The company's proprietary smart chip turns all international calls -- incoming and outgoing -- into domestic calls. Since its start in 2000, Transatel has expanded beyond its French roots to operations in Belgium, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, and the UK. Investors in the company include a French government agency that invests in young businesses and the venture capital firm Pyramid Technology Ventures.