<s>
Chikka	B-Application
,	O
short	O
for	O
Chikka	B-Application
Text	O
Messenger	O
,	O
was	O
an	O
Internet-based	O
instant	B-Application
messaging	I-Application
application	O
that	O
supports	O
free	O
SMS	B-Device
or	O
text	O
messaging	O
between	O
online	O
users	O
and	O
offline	O
mobile	O
subscribers	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Chikka	B-Application
was	O
released	O
by	O
Chikka	B-Application
Philippines	O
,	O
Inc	O
.	O
in	O
the	O
early	O
2000	O
and	O
eventually	O
established	O
its	O
connection	O
with	O
the	O
country	O
's	O
network	O
operators	O
Smart	O
Communications	O
(	O
2001	O
)	O
,	O
Globe	O
Telecom	O
(	O
2002	O
)	O
and	O
Sun	O
Cellular	O
(	O
2004	O
)	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
With	O
up	O
to	O
billions	O
of	O
messages	O
being	O
exchanged	O
between	O
online	O
and	O
mobile	O
communities	O
worldwide	O
through	O
Chikka	B-Application
,	O
it	O
is	O
probably	O
the	O
world	O
's	O
first	O
commercially	O
successful	O
integration	O
of	O
web	O
and	O
mobile	O
utilities	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Headquartered	O
in	O
Pasig	O
,	O
Chikka	B-Application
Philippines	O
powers	O
other	O
services	O
for	O
mobile	O
instant	B-Application
messaging	I-Application
and	O
email	O
accessible	O
via	O
SMS	B-Device
,	O
mobile	O
payment	O
systems	O
utilizing	O
airtime	O
credits	O
,	O
Free-Reply	O
SMS	B-Device
as	O
an	O
option	O
for	O
prepaid	O
mobile	O
subscribers	O
in	O
need	O
of	O
"	O
top-up	O
,	O
"	O
mobile-enabled	O
auctions	O
,	O
matchmaking	O
and	O
social	O
networking	O
as	O
well	O
as	O
text	O
,	O
voice	O
and	O
visual	O
mobile	O
content	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
In	O
2018	O
,	O
Chikka	B-Application
shut	O
down	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Pronounced	O
as	O
it	O
is	O
spelled	O
,	O
Chikka	B-Application
( \’CHI-ka\	O
,	O
derived	O
from	O
chika	O
)	O
is	O
a	O
colloquial	O
Filipino	O
term	O
for	O
'	O
 "	O
small	O
talk	O
"	O
or	O
"	O
chatter	O
"	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
For	O
Chikka	B-Application
,	O
"	O
small	O
talk	O
"	O
refers	O
to	O
the	O
nature	O
of	O
the	O
many	O
text	O
and	O
chat	O
messages	O
exchanged	O
throughout	O
online	O
and	O
mobile	O
communities	O
worldwide	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Chikka	B-Application
Philippines	O
,	O
Incorporated	O
,	O
founded	O
in	O
2000	O
by	O
Chito	O
Bustamante	O
,	O
Dennis	B-Application
Mendiola	I-Application
,	O
and	O
Alexandra	O
Roxas	O
,	O
is	O
headquartered	O
in	O
Pasig	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
It	O
operates	O
as	O
a	O
subsidiary	O
of	O
Chikka	B-Application
Holdings	O
,	O
Ltd	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
In	O
1999	O
,	O
Chikka	B-Application
began	O
developing	O
Chikka	B-Application
Text	O
Messenger	O
,	O
which	O
combines	O
the	O
features	O
of	O
instant	B-Application
messaging	I-Application
and	O
SMS	B-Device
technology	O
all	O
available	O
and	O
accessible	O
on	O
a	O
regular	O
mobile	O
phone	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
It	O
was	O
designed	O
to	O
withstand	O
SMS	B-Device
volume	O
in	O
a	O
country	O
sending	O
30	O
million	O
messages	O
daily	O
,	O
which	O
made	O
it	O
"	O
Text	O
Capital	O
of	O
the	O
World	O
"	O
in	O
2000	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Chikka	B-Application
was	O
founded	O
as	O
a	O
.com	O
during	O
the	O
tail-end	O
of	O
the	O
dot-com	O
bubble	O
in	O
2000	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
A	O
year	O
later	O
,	O
Chikka	B-Application
Messenger	O
was	O
launched	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Chikka	B-Application
beat	O
world	O
players	O
in	O
creating	O
an	O
effective	O
mobile	O
instant	B-Application
messaging	I-Application
application	O
,	O
one	O
that	O
would	O
marry	O
SMS	B-Device
.	O
</s>
<s>
Chikka	B-Application
's	O
solution	O
and	O
subsequent	O
hold	O
on	O
the	O
market	O
was	O
such	O
that	O
prevented	O
many	O
more	O
global	O
players	O
from	O
gaining	O
ground	O
in	O
the	O
"	O
SMS	B-Device
Capital.	O
"	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
Chikka	B-Application
Text	O
Messenger	O
(	O
CTM	O
)	O
was	O
capable	O
of	O
translating	O
instant	B-Application
messaging	I-Application
functionalities	O
such	O
as	O
presence	O
detection	O
(	O
knowing	O
which	O
users	O
are	O
online	O
)	O
,	O
into	O
SMS-enabled	O
mobile	O
phones	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Users	O
would	O
log-on	O
to	O
Chikka	B-Application
using	O
their	O
mobile	O
phone	O
number	O
and	O
enjoy	O
free	O
instant	B-Application
messaging	I-Application
from	O
a	O
PC	O
and	O
continue	O
to	O
receive	O
messages	O
on	O
their	O
mobiles	O
even	O
when	O
offline	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
By	O
the	O
third	O
quarter	O
of	O
2002	O
,	O
Chikka	B-Application
Asia	I-Application
,	I-Application
Inc	I-Application
.	I-Application
had	O
already	O
launched	O
multiple	O
services	O
that	O
allowed	O
it	O
to	O
seize	O
market	O
leadership	O
in	O
the	O
local	O
Value-Added	O
Service	O
(	O
VAS	O
)	O
SMS	B-Device
market	O
in	O
the	O
Philippines	O
,	O
especially	O
on	O
various	O
corporate	O
promo	O
applications	O
and	O
SMS-based	O
games	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
In	O
2008	O
,	O
CEO	O
Dennis	B-Application
Mendiola	I-Application
handed	O
down	O
CEO	O
duties	O
to	O
Chito	O
Bustamante	O
,	O
so	O
as	O
to	O
focus	O
on	O
Product	O
Development	O
as	O
Chikka	B-Application
's	O
new	O
Chief	O
Imagination	O
Officer	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Apparent	O
shareholder	O
strife	O
was	O
revealed	O
,	O
when	O
the	O
raw	O
findings	O
by	O
external	O
auditor	O
SGV	O
,	O
the	O
Philippine	O
partner	O
of	O
Ernst	O
&	O
Young	O
of	O
unliquidated	O
cash	O
advances	O
by	O
management	O
of	O
Chikka	B-Application
were	O
leaked	O
to	O
Philippines	O
media	O
via	O
a	O
malicious	O
"	O
white	O
paper	O
"	O
carrying	O
the	O
rumor	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Vindication	O
for	O
Chikka	B-Application
's	O
Management	O
ultimately	O
came	O
in	O
2009	O
when	O
leading	O
Philippine	O
Telecommunications	O
Smart	O
Communications	O
wholly	O
acquired	O
the	O
company	O
,	O
keeping	O
management	O
intact	O
to	O
the	O
present	O
,	O
with	O
Chito	O
Bustamante	O
as	O
CEO	O
and	O
Dennis	B-Application
Mendiola	I-Application
as	O
de	O
facto	O
head	O
of	O
Product	O
Development	O
,	O
even	O
as	O
he	O
was	O
appointed	O
Chief	O
Web	O
and	O
Internet	O
adviser	O
to	O
Smart	O
's	O
Wireless	O
Consumer	O
Division	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
On	O
March	O
7	O
,	O
2018	O
,	O
Chikka	B-Application
announced	O
on	O
their	O
social	O
media	O
accounts	O
that	O
they	O
are	O
shutting	O
down	O
their	O
service	O
on	O
March	O
31	O
,	O
2018	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Chikka	B-Application
Text	O
Messenger	O
is	O
the	O
first	O
instant	B-Application
messaging	I-Application
desktop	O
client	O
to	O
support	O
communication	O
with	O
mobile	O
phones	O
via	O
SMS	B-Device
that	O
allows	O
users	O
to	O
send	O
free	O
SMS	B-Device
messages	O
to	O
other	O
users	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Other	O
platforms	O
and	O
devices	O
where	O
Chikka	B-Application
is	O
available	O
are	O
:	O
</s>
<s>
As	O
Chikka	B-Application
introduced	O
Chikka	B-Application
Text	O
Messenger	O
in	O
2001	O
,	O
its	O
affiliates	O
launched	O
other	O
pioneering	O
services	O
based	O
on	O
shared	O
patents	O
,	O
technologies	O
and	O
resources	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Bidshot	O
Wireless	O
Services	O
is	O
an	O
online	O
auction	O
site	O
that	O
has	O
also	O
patented	O
mobile-enabled	O
auctions	O
with	O
actionable	O
SMS	B-Device
alerts	O
,	O
wireless	O
item	O
message	O
boards	O
and	O
location-based	O
classifieds	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
In	O
2002	O
,	O
Chikka	B-Application
acquired	O
Bidshot	O
Wireless	O
Services	O
,	O
Inc	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
In	O
the	O
same	O
year	O
,	O
patented	O
technologies	O
allowed	O
Bidshot	O
to	O
successively	O
launch	O
interactive	O
television	O
,	O
mobile-enabled	O
games	O
and	O
polls	O
,	O
SMS	B-Device
marketing	O
promos	O
and	O
made	O
an	O
entry	O
into	O
mobile	O
content	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
In	O
2003	O
,	O
Chikka	B-Application
entered	O
into	O
franchising	O
agreements	O
with	O
partners	O
in	O
Thailand	O
and	O
in	O
Indonesia	O
that	O
brought	O
its	O
services	O
to	O
major	O
network	O
operators	O
in	O
those	O
countries	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
It	O
went	O
on	O
to	O
break	O
records	O
for	O
daily	O
VAS	O
SMS	B-Device
volume	O
generated	O
by	O
existing	O
providers	O
,	O
quickly	O
establishing	O
Chikka	B-Application
as	O
a	O
major	O
content	O
provider	O
in	O
these	O
markets	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Subsequently	O
,	O
Chikka	B-Application
also	O
signed	O
up	O
with	O
carriers	O
in	O
Singapore	O
,	O
Hong	O
Kong	O
and	O
Japan	O
for	O
messaging	O
and	O
celebrity-texting	O
services	O
catering	O
to	O
the	O
overseas	O
Filipino	O
community	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
In	O
2005	O
,	O
the	O
Chikka	B-Application
Messenger	O
connected	O
to	O
major	O
US	O
carriers	O
Cingular	O
Wireless	O
,	O
Verizon	B-Application
Wireless	I-Application
,	O
and	O
AT&T	O
Wireless	O
,	O
the	O
top	O
three	O
mobile	O
network	O
operators	O
in	O
the	O
United	O
States	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Together	O
with	O
Sprint	O
,	O
Alltel	O
and	O
other	O
carriers	O
today	O
,	O
Chikka	B-Application
gained	O
connectivity	O
to	O
100%	O
of	O
US	O
mobile	O
subscribers	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
In	O
2005	O
,	O
a	O
partnership	O
with	O
Times	O
Internet	O
Ltd	O
.	O
(	O
TIL	O
)	O
,	O
the	O
new	O
media	O
arm	O
of	O
India	O
's	O
illustrious	O
media	O
conglomerate	O
BCCL	O
,	O
launched	O
the	O
Chikka	B-Application
Messenger	O
to	O
all	O
major	O
operators	O
,	O
to	O
cover	O
90%	O
of	O
mobile	O
subscribers	O
in	O
India	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
To	O
provide	O
extensive	O
support	O
to	O
more	O
international	O
partners	O
,	O
Chikka	B-Application
obtained	O
triple	O
ISO	O
certifications	O
for	O
Quality	O
Management	O
,	O
Security	O
and	O
IT	O
Project	O
Management	O
in	O
2005	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Chikka	B-Application
's	O
global	O
headquarters	O
in	O
Pasig	O
is	O
the	O
first	O
Philippine-based	O
company	O
to	O
obtain	O
the	O
triple	O
certifications	O
ISO	O
9001	O
,	O
BS	O
7799	O
,	O
and	O
BS	O
15000	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
A	O
CMMI	O
Maturity	O
Level	O
5	O
certification	O
puts	O
Chikka	B-Application
along	O
the	O
ranks	O
of	O
the	O
National	O
Aeronautics	O
and	O
Space	O
Administration	O
(	O
NASA	O
)	O
,	O
Intel	O
Corporation	O
,	O
and	O
Nokia	O
;	O
all	O
of	O
whom	O
benchmark	O
their	O
processes	O
with	O
CMMI	O
's	O
Maturity	O
Level	O
5	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
first	O
quarter	O
of	O
2007	O
saw	O
the	O
launch	O
of	O
Chikka	B-Application
Messenger	O
in	O
the	O
United	O
Kingdom	O
for	O
all	O
major	O
mobile	O
carriers	O
,	O
making	O
the	O
service	O
available	O
to	O
over	O
70	O
million	O
mobile	O
subscribers	O
.	O
</s>
