[getti]

Orange and Vodafone to link mobile Instant Messaging communities


13 February 2006, 3GSM World Congress, Barcelona. Orange Group and Vodafone Group ("the companies") today announced they are finalising an agreement to be the first multi-national mobile operators to launch Instant Messaging interoperability, with the intention to link Instant Messaging communities using the familiar "calling party pays" principle.

Working under the open standard interoperability principles, established by the GSM Association, Orange and Vodafone customers will be able to send and receive Instant Messages to friends and family seamlessly across each others' mobile networks.

"As we have seen over the last few years, service interoperability has unlocked the true potential for mobile. While we, as mobile operators, need to compete at the retail level, we must also continue to work together at the service interoperability level in order to stimulate customer demand and to continue to grow our industry," said Arun Sarin, Chief Executive at Vodafone. "With the support of the GSM Association, we hope to encourage all mobile operators to adopt this open, interoperable approach to instant messaging services, to ensure our customers benefit from seamless services in an environment they trust."

The companies are actively seeking engagement from other mobile operators and ISPs to adopt the same open standard approach, in order to stimulate customer demand and drive the continued success of mobile messaging services. To date, the companies have received support and interest from China Mobile, O2 UK, Telefonica Movile Espana, T-Mobile International and Turkcell.

"Like Vodafone, we're very supportive of the GSMA principles which aim to make mobile/ personal Instant Messaging accessible, interoperable, safe and secure. We also fully support the wider work that the GSMA is undertaking on IP interworking.

"We're really excited about the potential of IM and building on the already proven success of text-based conversation as evidenced by the phenomenal growth of SMS over mobile and IM on PCs. Initially, we think it will be the youth market who will find mobile IM appealing but we expect it to be adopted by a much wider audience over time," comments Sanjiv Ahuja, CEO, Orange Group.

Notes to Editors
Orange has already launched its own mobile messaging service, Orange Messenger, in France with further launches planned later in the year in the UK, Romania and the Netherlands. It will also launch a converged Instant Messaging service that will be common to both Orange and Wanadoo customers. Access to Orange Messenger will be simple and easy for customers to use as they will have a single buddy list, one set of contacts and the same look and feel whether they are accessing the service via PC or mobile.

Vodafone has its own mobile instant messaging service, called Vodafone Messenger, which is currently available in 11 countries. In addition, in two countries Vodafone offers a converged Vodafone Messenger service, through the provision of a PC client version of Vodafone Messenger. In June 2005, Vodafone and MSN announced an agreement, to enable seamless instant messaging between MSN PC users and Vodafone Messenger customers.

[@NickyColman]

I think this is great!! Its what the networks need! I remember watching a 3G video from Vodafone back in 2004 showing how IM would be a great feature in mobiles today. But nothing seems to have come of it till now.

The only thing which concerns me is the price. Knowing mobops they will clamp a price on it to have the privilege of using it, then data charges on top of it. If it is free, or a all-you-can-eat type service for a small monthly charge ie £1 then i could see this booming in the youth market!

At the moment there are few programs that let you talk online, and those that do exist are all subject to data charges meaning you can just leave your IM "on".

Pricing must be right for this to take off. If text messaging was kept at 50p a message it would never have taken off but 10p is the perfect price for everyone. Altho i do beleive it should be cheaper now, but thats a different subject altogether.

If say the mobops charged £1 a month for unlimited access and the waving of data charges they could make an absoloute packet from this if its aimed, delivered and advertised correctly.

[3GScottishUser]

This 'open' standard should ensure that a common service will be delivered and supported by all the networks.

Good News.

[3g-g]

I think this is great!! Its what the networks need! I remember watching a 3G video from Vodafone back in 2004 showing how IM would be a great feature in mobiles today. But nothing seems to have come of it till now.

The only thing which concerns me is the price. Knowing mobops they will clamp a price on it to have the privilege of using it, then data charges on top of it. If it is free, or a all-you-can-eat type service for a small monthly charge ie £1 then i could see this booming in the youth market!

At the moment there are few programs that let you talk online, and those that do exist are all subject to data charges meaning you can just leave your IM "on".

Pricing must be right for this to take off. If text messaging was kept at 50p a message it would never have taken off but 10p is the perfect price for everyone. Altho i do beleive it should be cheaper now, but thats a different subject altogether.

If say the mobops charged £1 a month for unlimited access and the waving of data charges they could make an absoloute packet from this if its aimed, delivered and advertised correctly.


I would imagine that it'll all be based on GPRS useage, i.e. data transferred not time spent online. What would be helpful was if the cost of data was reduced in line with the take up of these type of services. The operators are aware of every packet of data on their networks and they charge accordingly, I'd like to see certain applications subject to no or a minimal charge, for example this IM function.

[@NickyColman]

Yeah agreed 3G-G. IM apps must only use tiny bits of data as the data being tansferred is only text so surely the networks can wave that data charge. Or am i being to idealistic?

Id like the mobops to make sure that the application itself is easy to use, full of features, and completely "open" so it can not only talk to other mobile messengers but talk to online friends too.

How will the networks get this to work on the sign-in side of things? At the moment with online messenger services you use your email address. But will the networks use mobile numbers? Or will they use a Username ? Or will network-email addresses be handed out? Will you be able to use an existing IM account on your phone?

I think the mobops need to make sure IM is completely integrated with online messengers too.

Id also think it would be great if users of mobile messenger could tansfer files to each other like pictures, videos, even music/ringtones.