Zello instant talk

This is a continuation of our “Meet Team Zello” series, putting a spotlight on the leadership and team members who have made Zello push-to-talk (PTT) the most widely-used and highest rated walkie-talkie app in the world. Today, we present a Q&A with CTO and co-founder, Alex Gavrilov.What is your background? What were you doing prior to Zello?Before starting Zello I founded two companies -- an internet marketing agency and a software development shop -- both named Metalink. Prior to that, I received a Masters degree in Applied Math and Physics and spent some time modelling the effects of nuclear disasters.Tell us the story behind Loudtalks, the app you created which was rebranded to Zello.Loudtalks was an instant push-to-talk communication tool first released in 2007 for Windows computers. It started as a side project at Metalink when we decided to move the focus away from being a service company to a product company. Loudtalks won among several product ideas, which included online speed dating and encrypted peer-to-peer email. While Loudtalks was my idea, I did not create it alone. Most of the original work was done by Alexander Vinogradov and Eugene Mymrin, who are still employed by Zello.What motivated you to start Zello?I wanted a better tool for fast communication on a mobile phone, one which would be easier than texting and faster than phone calls. When I was a child, we didn't have a phone at home, and the only times I recall using one was when I would run to the phone booth to call an ambulance when my sister was sick. I still hate phone calls.Zello has two products. Which gives you more pride? The free consumer product with its 120 million users worldwide? Or the profitable and successful business you've built around ZelloWork, your commercial product for work teams?I'm proud of consumer Zello because of its scale and the difference it makes in people's lives around the world. I'm proud of Zello because it allowed us to build a sustainable business and gather an amazing team in the process.What are your goals over the next 5-10 years for Zello? Where do you see Zello the company in five years?Grow Zello to dominate its market niche. Grow Zello into a major app brand, making the lives of people better by promoting healthy communities where people talk.What has surprised you the most since the launch of Zello in 2012?The breadth of different uses people have found for Zello.How do you come up with, and decide, on new product features?We look at customer ideas and feedback, changes in the market and the environment, as well as ideas coming from the team and try to combine them in the most efficient and impactful roadmap possible.What makes Zello technologically challenging? Live voice is hard. Making it scale to support millions of concurrent users is even harder. Ensuring that it works across multiple generations of mobile platforms and network connections is extremely challenging.What was it like to have the #1 app in both

Turn your phone or tablet into a walkie talkie with this lightning fast free PTT (Push-To-Talk) radio app. Talk to your contacts privately or join public channels to engage in a hot debate. Zello features:• Real-time streaming, high-quality voice• Contacts availability and text status• Public and private channels for up to 6000 users• Option to map hardware PTT (Push-To-Talk) button• Bluetooth headset support (selected phones)• Voice history• Call alert• Images• Push notifications• Live location tracking (available with Zello Work service only)• Works over WiFi, 2G, 3G, or 4G mobile dataZello uses proprietary low-latency push-to-talk protocol and is not interoperable with Voxer, Sprint Direct Connect or AT&T Enhanced PTT. Zello Android client supports free public service, ZelloWork cloud service, and private Zello Enterprise Server.We are working hard to improve the app so please expect frequent updates. If you have questions or issues send us an email at support@zello.com► Visit our website zello.com/ to get Zello Walkie Talkie for your PC or different platform► Connect with other Zello users on Facebook: facebook.com/ZelloMe► Follow us on Twitter: twitter.com/zello Show more Show less

You know Zello as your go-to push-to-talk walkie talkie app. With just the push of a button, you can connect instantly to coworkers, family, and friends. But do you really know where Zello came from and where it’s headed? These 10 facts will set you straight!Zello got its start back in 2007 with the idea of taking push-to-talk communication from the radio to the smartphone. (You can read all about Zello’s inspiring beginnings here). Since then, we’ve grown to over 150 million users, and keep growing at a rate of 1 million users per month and 4,000 new channels added per day! From the United States to Vanuatu, Zello attracts a diverse base of users and is represented in 220 countries around the world. There’s a lot of big-hearted, do-gooders in that user base, especially through the Zello for First Responders program, which has 120,000 users and counting. Zello Work, the enterprise version of the app, is commonly used in the world’s most critical frontline industries, such as Construction, Transportation, Hospitality, Retail, Air Transport, Trucking, Logistics, and Manufacturing. From nursing homes to construction sites, customers rely on Zello to foster collaboration and communication. Customers frequently cite ease of use and significant cost savings over radio as their reasons for making the switch. In fact, at least 80% of Zello Work customers cut costs by switching away from radio and PTT carriers to Zello. Zello users get responses faster than on other platforms, fostering communication through the instantaneous nature of live voice. There’s nothing quite like pushing a button and connecting with a network, whether you’re catching up with old friends, dropping off a delivery and need an update from dispatch, or sending out an emergency alert about a workplace hazard.Read on for more statistics that demonstrate why Zello is the choice of individuals and businesses the world over for reliable, crystal clear push-to-talk technology.