Telefonica and Microsoft Extend Reach of Windows Live Services to Millions of Mobile Customers in Latin America
strategic alliance that was first announced last year, Telefonica and
Microsoft Corp. today announced that the companies are deploying a range of
Windows Live for Mobile client application services that offer an enhanced
experience for their mutual customers on their mobile devices. Telefonica, one
of the leading mobile operators in
customers in
Java-based client application that gives them access to Windows Live Hotmail,
Windows Live Messenger and Windows Live Spaces to communicate and share with
the people they care about from their mobile phone. The announcement was made
at Mobile World Congress 2009.
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In addition, Telefonica and Microsoft will also introduce a Windows Live
Messenger client pre-installed on a mobile phone SIM card to provide the
broadest set of customers with easy access to Windows Live Messenger directly
from their mobile phone.* This offering targets the mass market of mobile
phone users by embedding the Windows Live Messenger client on the device and
enabling it to work over short message service (SMS), which is readily
available on most mobile phones today.
“We are extremely excited to extend our strong relationship with
Telefonica and make Windows Live mobile offerings available to our mutual
customers,” said
at Microsoft. “By enabling customers to choose the best solution for their
mobile needs, we are opening the door for many of our 500 million global
customers to extend their Windows Live experience to their mobile phone.”
“At Telefonica we believe one of the best ways to maintain customer
loyalty is to provide access to Microsoft’s very large Hotmail and Messenger
customer base,” said Luis Miguel Gilperez, director of Mobile Business at
Telefonica Latianoamerica. “By partnering with Microsoft, we will grow mobile
data use on our network and provide great value for our customers.”
These Windows Live mobile services will become available early this year
in a phased rollout across
customers will need to download the Java client, but over time these services
will be preinstalled on the mobile phone device or SIM card.
About Windows Live
More than 500 million customers around the world rely on Windows Live for
sharing e-mail, messaging, photos and files within their networks of friends,
family, business associates and more. With localized versions being made
available globally in 54 countries and 48 languages by early 2009, the next
generation of Windows Live brings enhanced tools to make online activities
easier, more integrated and more intuitive. The new Windows Live experience is
also enhanced by strategic alliances – with feeds from third-party sites that
enable users to stay up to date on what’s new with friends and family and see
information from other online services such as Flickr, LinkedIn and Pandora -
all in a single set of services where they already spend time every day. Over
the coming weeks, the next generation of Windows Live will become available at
http://www.windowslive.com.
About Telefonica
Telefonica is one of the largest telecommunications companies in the world
in terms of market capitalisation. Its activities are centered mainly on the
fixed and mobile telephony businesses with broadband as the key tool for the
development of both.
The company has a significant presence in 25 countries and a customer base
that amounts to more than 252 million accesses around the world. Telefonica
has a strong presence in
focuses an important part of its growth strategy.
Telefonica is a 100% listed company, with more than 1.5 million direct
shareholders. Its share capital currently comprises 4,704,996,485 ordinary
shares traded on the Spanish Stock Market (
Paulo
About Microsoft
Founded in 1975, Microsoft (Nasdaq: MSFT) is the worldwide leader in
software, services and solutions that help people and businesses realize their
full potential.
* Mobile providers may charge a fee for placing calls.
SOURCE Microsoft Corp.