Companies around the world are on hot pursuit of a new voice and data technology that promises to bring drastic cuts in telecom bills and make communication cheaper and easier. Wireless Voice over Internet Protocol has attracted hoards of companies interested in making Wireless VoIP a reality.

One company that recently turned to India is Sonim Technologies, a San Mateo based start up that develops wireless VoIP products. Having set up shop in Bangalore last November and acquiring a former outsourcing partner a little earlier, Sonim swears by the talent and opportunities available in India.

There’s no question that the Sonim story will go beyond that. With VoIP growing by the day, Sonim, one of the first movers in the wireless VoIP corner, will only see growth in product development with more experienced people joining Sonim both at the San Mateo and Bangalore center.

“Engineers in India are extremely talented and are hungrier than their European or North American counterparts,” says Joakim Wiklund - Chief Technology Officer, a Swede who has played a role in setting up Sonim’s Bangalore operations. “So much business is happening here that if you are smart, you should come to India and that’s why we are here.” Wiklund says it was natural for a start up like them to look towards India.

Wiklund is buzzing with an experienced team at the helm of affairs here Nizar K. Parayil, a returnee with over five years experience in the U.S. says the best thing about working with Sonim is the growth opportunity, expansion of career base and core product development. Meghasyam Dora, Vice-President, Server division has seen a radical shift. He says he wanted to get into emerging technology like VoIP and that’s where Sonim came handy.

“Sonim is a dynamic, focused product company and working in a start up like Sonim is a different experience,” he says. Wilkund adds that the best part of working in a start up is the ability to make a difference. There is freedom to innovate and chances for growth and opportunities are amplified with returnees.

“In order to get into a company like Sonim, returnees should tap the network of friends and colleagues,” says Nizar, who is Chief Technical Lead at Sonim. However Dora, a Sonim veteran says he returned to India for job security in leading technology companies. And he is right, as returnees are a highly sought after community because of their experience as other engineers also learn from them.

Wilkund says the five-year-old company is looking for senior engineers with experience in product development and servers, besides wireless networks like Global System for Mobiles, Code Division Multiple Access, UMTS, and an experienced senior team.

An experienced team here means the company is likely to do well in the Wireless VoIP that is still in infancy, but has seen high investments by majors like Cisco, Siemens, Ericsson, and Nortel. Like community theater troupes or cruise bike aficionados, the Sonim geeks share a passion-to design and make a MIT style machine that extends beyond our desktops and comes to our palmtop.