Microsoft and 3 Group today announced plans to deliver access to MSN Messenger andHotmail through the 3 portal and installed software clients on 3G handsets.
The agreement enables 3 to offer access to MSN Hotmail and Messenger from a browser or by a downloaded and pre-installed software client. As part of the agreement, all services offered will carry the look and feel of the PC versions of the services. By connecting MSN and 3 customers, both companies expect more frequent interaction between mobile-to-mobile, and PC-to-mobile customers.
Later this year, 3 will also be able to offer access to Windows Live Messenger and Windows Live Mail, two of the next generation software services from Microsoft.
“This is an exciting time for Microsoft and Hutchison. Together we are offering, for the first time, mobile software clients on a broad range of handsets to a vast customer base in Europe,” said Geoff Sutton, Regional General Manager for MSN EMEA. “By way of this agreement, we are expanding our customers’ ability to make smart communication choices to connect instantly to the people they care about most.”
Christian Salbaing, Managing Director at Hutchison Europe Telecommunications commented: “3 is committed to providing its customers with the widest choice of communications access platforms. We believe our 12 million 3G customers will be delighted to be able to use MSN Hotmail and MSN Messenger on our 3G networks. Communications environments and platforms are converging and it is our job to give customers more choice to communicate with each other. 3 is delighted to be working with Microsoft to make this happen.”
Operators are faced with a decision on email and messaging, either to offer own-branded services or act as a gateway to customers’ existing PC accounts. The latter approach has the benefit of scale and customer recognition, but some in the industry have warned that operators risk losing brand equity, no to mention revenues.
A 3 spokesperson said the service would be rolled out within the next few months. In terms of pricing 3 UK plans to operate a monthly subscription charge for frequent user,s with a fair usage cap, and daily ticket charge for casual users. As the agreement is a wholesale global agreement, other 3 operators may have a different aproach.
3 sees no evidence customers will substitue text for IM, the spokesperson said. “It’s a different service and a new service,” he said.
Recently many operators have signed agreements to provide interoperability between providers for instant messaging, for in-houes operator products. The 3 spokesperson said 3 is not currently part of that process but retained the option to join up if it saw the value.
“Other operators are trying to retain control of the service, but we are offering customers a choice of communications services. We will continue to work with other operators to provide choice, and those options are still available to us. We believe there is a place in the market for both approaches. Our customers have expressed an interest in using MSN comnmunicationss services and we’re the first to deliver it.”