O2
launches ICQ Instant Messaging
America Online and O2 to offer integrated mobile
instant messaging services to millions of subscribers
02 July 2003
mmO2's German business today announced the launch
of ICQ® mobile instant messaging services, enabling customers
with a compatible handset to access the ICQ service on move. This
follows a group wide agreement between mmO2 and America Online
to bring AOL's popular instant messaging services (including ICQ
and AOL Instant Messenger (AIM®)) to O2 subscribers across
Europe. It is expected that services will roll out in the UK in
the Autumn. AOL's instant messaging services are well-established
worldwide brands, with tens of millions of active users each month.
Instant messaging (IM) provides real-time, easy
access to communities of friends, family or colleagues. A user
can see when his or her contacts or 'buddies' are online, and
can begin instant, two-way text based 'conversations'. ICQ and
AIM on O2 use the latest technology to recreate the PC/Internet
experience via a mobile handset - messages can be sent from handset
to handset, as well as between handsets and PCs, laptops and PDAs.
The service has the look and feel and functionality
that users are familiar with, including registration, searching
for and adding names to 'buddy' or contact lists, online status
change, and message send and receive. New features have been added
to make the service even easier for mobile users - including support
for Tegic's T9® predictive text input and template phrases.
The service is available on selected handsets - O2 and America
Online will continue working to broaden the handset range.
Instant Messaging is the second most used application on the
Internet (after email) - usage increased by 72% in the UK and
83% in Germany last year. Strategy Analytics suggests that "Instant
Messaging will emerge as a staple application that will register
strong wireless growth during 2003" and forecasts a global
installed base of 153 million users in 2004.
Kent Thexton, chief marketing and data officer of mmO2, said:
"We are leveraging the knowledge and broad international
member base of AOL instant messaging services to provide mobile
connectivity to users. The O2 service is easy to use, offers value
for money, and enables customers to 'instant message' wherever
they are. We think this new way to communicate is very compelling
and expect it to further drive usage of mobile data services."
Bill Schwebel, vice president and general manager of AOL Mobile,
commented "We are pleased to provide O2 customers with the
ability to communicate with ICQ and AIM communities direct from
their mobile handsets. For millions of consumers around the world,
instant messaging is a vital tool for staying connected - with
the ICQ and AIM services now available from O2, customers can
stay in constant contact while they're on the go."
ICQ and AIM will be available in the UK from Autumn 2003. Devices
for the UK market will be announced nearer launch. Services will
be available to both pre and post pay customers.
O2
| 
