Close Menu
TechCentralTechCentral

    Subscribe to the newsletter

    Get the best South African technology news and analysis delivered to your e-mail inbox every morning.

    Facebook X (Twitter) YouTube LinkedIn
    WhatsApp Facebook X (Twitter) LinkedIn YouTube
    TechCentralTechCentral
    • News

      Siemens is battling Big Tech for AI supremacy in factories

      24 June 2025

      Tesla shares soar after first robo-taxi rides hit the road

      24 June 2025

      ‘System offline’ scourge to end, says Schreiber – but industry must pay

      23 June 2025

      Why the spectrum gold rush may soon be over

      23 June 2025

      Tech stability key to getting South Africa off damaging financial grey list

      23 June 2025
    • World

      Mira Murati’s Thinking Machines hits $10-billion valuation

      24 June 2025

      Watch | Starship rocket explodes in setback to Musk’s Mars mission

      19 June 2025

      Trump Mobile dials into politics, profit and patriarchy

      17 June 2025

      Samsung plots health data hub to link users and doctors in real time

      17 June 2025

      Beijing’s chip champions blacklisted by Taiwan

      16 June 2025
    • In-depth

      Meta bets $72-billion on AI – and investors love it

      17 June 2025

      MultiChoice may unbundle SuperSport from DStv

      12 June 2025

      Grok promised bias-free chat. Then came the edits

      2 June 2025

      Digital fortress: We go inside JB5, Teraco’s giant new AI-ready data centre

      30 May 2025

      Sam Altman and Jony Ive’s big bet to out-Apple Apple

      22 May 2025
    • TCS

      TechCentral Nexus S0E3: Behind Takealot’s revenue surge

      23 June 2025

      TCS | South Africa’s Sociable wants to make social media social again

      23 June 2025

      TCS+ | AfriGIS’s Helen Hulett on how tech can help resolve South Africa’s water crisis

      18 June 2025

      TechCentral Nexus S0E2: South Africa’s digital battlefield

      16 June 2025

      TechCentral Nexus S0E1: Starlink, BEE and a new leader at Vodacom

      8 June 2025
    • Opinion

      South Africa pioneered drone laws a decade ago – now it must catch up

      17 June 2025

      AI and the future of ICT distribution

      16 June 2025

      Singapore soared – why can’t we? Lessons South Africa refuses to learn

      13 June 2025

      Beyond the box: why IT distribution depends on real partnerships

      2 June 2025

      South Africa’s next crisis? Being offline in an AI-driven world

      2 June 2025
    • Company Hubs
      • Africa Data Centres
      • AfriGIS
      • Altron Digital Business
      • Altron Document Solutions
      • Altron Group
      • Arctic Wolf
      • AvertITD
      • Braintree
      • CallMiner
      • CambriLearn
      • CYBER1 Solutions
      • Digicloud Africa
      • Digimune
      • Domains.co.za
      • ESET
      • Euphoria Telecom
      • Incredible Business
      • iONLINE
      • Iris Network Systems
      • LSD Open
      • NEC XON
      • Network Platforms
      • Next DLP
      • Ovations
      • Paracon
      • Paratus
      • Q-KON
      • SevenC
      • SkyWire
      • Solid8 Technologies
      • Telit Cinterion
      • Tenable
      • Vertiv
      • Videri Digital
      • Wipro
      • Workday
    • Sections
      • AI and machine learning
      • Banking
      • Broadcasting and Media
      • Cloud services
      • Contact centres and CX
      • Cryptocurrencies
      • Education and skills
      • Electronics and hardware
      • Energy and sustainability
      • Enterprise software
      • Fintech
      • Information security
      • Internet and connectivity
      • Internet of Things
      • Investment
      • IT services
      • Lifestyle
      • Motoring
      • Public sector
      • Retail and e-commerce
      • Science
      • SMEs and start-ups
      • Social media
      • Talent and leadership
      • Telecoms
    • Events
    • Advertise
    TechCentralTechCentral
    Home » Start-ups » Phonefinder: profiting from complexity

    Phonefinder: profiting from complexity

    By Nafisa Akabor4 November 2013
    Twitter LinkedIn Facebook WhatsApp Email Telegram Copy Link
    News Alerts
    WhatsApp
    Phonefinder co-founders Tom Goldgamer, Danny Aaron, Lance Krom and Devin Karpes
    Phonefinder co-founders Tom Goldgamer, Danny Aaron, Lance Krom and Devin Karpes

    Johannesburg-based start-up Phonefinder is hoping to profit from the complexity in South Africa’s mobile industry. The company is giving consumers the ability to compare mobile voice and data contracts from all the networks and service providers, allowing them to find the best deal online.

    By using search and filter tools, consumers can find contracts to suit their budgets.

    “The cellphone industry in South Africa is going through big changes and consumers have become bargain-savvy thanks to other comparative websites such as flight aggregators and the likes of Groupon,” says CEO and co-founder Lance Krom.

    Krom was “fed up” when he returned from living in London two years ago and needed a cellphone contract. After visiting a number of websites and finding them “overly complicated”, he decided to speak to sales agents in-store. He gathered information from various shops and eventually signed a contract he thought was best, but it was far from being a fully informed decision.

    “With over 2 000 deals on the market, I decided that there must be a better way,” Krom says.

    Phonefinder went live in May 2012 as a “simple but effective” service that listed all cellphone contracts, allowing users to filter their desired criteria. It was recently relaunched.

    “The initial website was built quickly and cheaply and was really just a test to see if the service would be well received,” says Krom. “After connecting a number of users to their ideal contract, we decided that it was time to re-do the website.”

    The revamped site went live in August.

    The company is self-funded by its four co-founders — Krom, Danny Aaron, Devin Karpes and Tom Goldgamer.

    Krom, 31, worked in London for five years doing media planning, real-estate letting and online marketing before returning to South Africa. As CEO, he handles operations, marketing and accounts for the company.

    The remaining three co-founders all jointly own a company called 3 Way Marketing. Aaron, 31, has worked in marketing and analysis at Hollard Insurance, while Goldgamer, 38, was GM at Hollard Insurance and a consultant in the insurance industry for a number of years. Both currently handle all new business and marketing at Phonefinder. Karpes, 30, used to own a design company called Peppermint Hippo, and currently serves as creative director for both 3 Way Marketing and Phonefinder.

    The start-up generates income by selling leads to service providers, says Krom. “We list their deals and match them to consumers who are ready to buy.”

    The company wants to become a “one-stop shop for everything cellular”.

    “This will open doors to more revenue streams, including targeted advertising real estate, cellphone wallets, customer support, accessories, and data trends for networks.”

    Phonefinder’s expansion plans include adding service offerings such as advanced search, options for discounted accessories and the ability to compare phone features and share opinions about devices.

    “We would like to offer cellphone insurance at a discount, too,” says Krom.  — (c) 2013 NewsCentral Media



    Danny Aaron Devin Karpes Lance Krom Phonefinder Tom Goldgamer
    Subscribe to TechCentral Subscribe to TechCentral
    Share. Facebook Twitter LinkedIn WhatsApp Telegram Email Copy Link
    Previous ArticleTelkom, Absa partner on broadband
    Next Article Time running out for Windows XP users

    Related Posts

    These are SA’s most popular smartphones

    26 May 2015

    Phonefinder profits from complexity

    28 November 2014
    Company News

    Communication costs exploding? Telviva has a fix for UK-SA teams

    24 June 2025

    IoT connectivity management in South Africa – expert insights

    23 June 2025

    Let’s reimagine Joburg using the power of tech, data and AI

    23 June 2025
    Opinion

    South Africa pioneered drone laws a decade ago – now it must catch up

    17 June 2025

    AI and the future of ICT distribution

    16 June 2025

    Singapore soared – why can’t we? Lessons South Africa refuses to learn

    13 June 2025

    Subscribe to Updates

    Get the best South African technology news and analysis delivered to your e-mail inbox every morning.

    © 2009 - 2025 NewsCentral Media

    Type above and press Enter to search. Press Esc to cancel.