14 DAY TRIAL // Vodafone and Microsoft announced they are working on a co-branded Instant Messaging service that can be accessed both from the PC and mobile phone. The announcement is a result of a strategic alliance signed by the two companies in June 2005, involving the interconnection of their existing Instant Messaging services. Based on the Windows Live Messenger platform, the new service will be launched in select European markets this year.
"Microsoft - through our Windows Live communication platform - and Vodafone are working together to enhance messaging between mobile phones and PCs, ultimately delivering a richer experience to customers," said Brian Arbogast, corporate vice president of the Windows Live Developer and Communications Platform group at Microsoft. "By way of this launch, we are expanding our customers' ability to make smart communication choices and connect instantly via IM to the people they care about most whether they are on their phone or on their PC."
Users of the service will be able to use address book functionality and see the "presence" of their Messenger contacts and exchange messages when these contacts are either on their PC or mobile devices. The co-branded Instant Messenger experience will be available on a wide range of Vodafone handsets - including those running Windows Mobile, bringing together customers of other Mobile Network Operator IM networks, as announced at last year's 3GSM.
"We have brought together two of the world's largest messaging communities with a co-branded seamless PC-to-mobile instant messaging service. Vodafone customers will be able to communicate whenever and wherever they want, using IM and its additional service benefits, make the most of their time with mobile and PC, and friends and family," said Frank H R?vekamp, Global Chief Marketing Officer for Vodafone. "IM is a growing part of the increasingly important mobile messaging market. By bringing our collective customers together, we'll deliver more options about how to stay in touch when messaging."