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Line.com

LINE adds 2 million new users after WhatsApp outage, and rubs it in

And we mean it *really* rubbed it in.

IT TURNS OUT that more than one messaging app benefited from WhatsApp server problems last weekend.

Privacy messaging app Telegram saw just under five million sign up on that day – and just over eight million overall since the Facebook deal broke – while another rival messaging app Line, which has 360 million users globally and is popular in Asia, saw two million new members sign up in 24 hours.

Line decided to celebrate by saying why it’s a better alternative to WhatsApp and other apps, and reminding everyone how it didn’t suffer an outage while it saw an influx in sign-ups.

This outage, along with concerns over user security and privacy issues, proves why LINE is a stronger and safer alternative to WhatsApp and other mobile messaging upstarts such as Telegram.

LINE’s established base of over 360 million members globally, along with a robust and growing presence in Europe and South America, showcases why this growth spurt is even more significant. Although the platform saw a sharp increase in new subscribers and a surge of usage this weekend, LINE did not experience any outage or technical issues.

If that wasn’t enough to hammer the point home, it also includes a statement from its Euro-Americas CEO Jeanie Han, who said:

Our growth strategy has always included providing a strong network that can handle unplanned and unexpected increases in network traffic. We pride ourselves on providing a safe, secure platform that will always work when our users need it the most.

This last weekend was proof of how strong LINE can be. Even with a sudden, record-breaking increase in users and traffic, we were able to provide the best, most reliable and secure service to all our members.

It’s unlikely that such a statement or developments will worry WhatsApp. When the deal was announced, it had over 450 million monthly users. Now, it has 465 million monthly users - and 330 million daily active users so it’s still growing despite other apps benefiting.

Zuckerberg said yesterday at the Mobile World Congress keynote that he was confident the service is on course to signing up one billion users, and that “by itself, it’s worth more than $19 billion.”

Read: The knock-on effect: WhatsApp rival adds 8m users in 4 days >

Read: WhatsApp’s first move after its deal with Facebook? Adding voice calls >

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16 Comments
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    Mute Sam Palmer
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    Sep 26th 2016, 7:24 PM

    Excellent.
    Probably the most important journalistic input on the Journal.ie.
    When you guys put your minds to it you lead the way in information gathering and analysis.

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    Mute Tony Canning
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    Sep 26th 2016, 8:54 PM

    You should do a fact check on some of the stuff said in the comments section. Genuinely, pick a clue of divisive opposing claims made and break them down…

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    Mute Charlie Fogarty
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    Sep 26th 2016, 9:18 PM

    @Tony Canning:

    Leave Oran alone Tony.

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    Mute Kieran OKeeffe
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    Sep 26th 2016, 7:33 PM

    Brilliant bull buster..could you do a fact check on Irish political pensions..I read somewhere that they were unique in that multiple pensions can be claimed..and that it differs from other countries in the EU in that respect..and can politicians in other countries claim lump sums and pensions from a teaching post held decades earlier?

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    Mute Kevin Moylan
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    Nov 26th 2016, 10:34 AM

    @Kieran OKeeffe: politicians probably can claim lump sums and pensions in other corrupt countries like zimbabwe,nigeria,etc

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    Mute Peter fechter
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    Sep 26th 2016, 7:23 PM

    Factcheck is a gift.

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    Mute Kerry Blake
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    Sep 26th 2016, 8:16 PM

    Great service thejournal. Kudos!

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    Mute king Jamie
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    Sep 26th 2016, 7:36 PM

    Politician’s and there cronies hate fact check…. Their days of bullshiteing us are at an end

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    Mute William Clay
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    Sep 26th 2016, 8:32 PM

    Not until the country stop voting for ff/fg. Until then, nothing will change.

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    Mute William Clay
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    Sep 26th 2016, 8:19 PM

    Fantastic column, just goes to show what The Journal can do/could do. Shame their agenda is dictated by others whose sole intent is to keep the status quo

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    Mute Michael Clinton
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    Sep 26th 2016, 8:33 PM

    Great articles that gets right to the bottom of statements. Serious respect.

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    Mute Charlie Fogarty
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    Sep 26th 2016, 8:59 PM

    Spose i’ll sign the card too.

    WELL DONE!

    Charles S. Fogarty

    xoxoxo

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    Mute Lily Martin
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    Sep 26th 2016, 11:58 PM

    Best part of The Journal by far. Well done

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    Mute A Pop Fan's Dream
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    Sep 27th 2016, 7:39 AM

    Could you do one on sentencing? One ‘fact’ I often read is that privileged people get light sentences while those from less affluent backgrounds get treated much more harshly.

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    Mute Stephen Duffy
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    Sep 26th 2016, 9:00 PM

    You should fact-check attendances at demos.. There was a demo in Dublin that attracted between 5,000 to 10,000 people. Very poor turn out. The organisers and one journalist in particular, is claiming 30,000 attended. Easily checked by use of digital photography and/or crowd densities..

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    Mute Charlie Fogarty
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    Sep 26th 2016, 9:14 PM

    @Stephen Duffy:

    Which one?

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    Mute Lazlo Saint Pierre
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    Sep 26th 2016, 9:09 PM

    I did suggest a fact check once, it was in relation to an article here, never heard anything back.

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