OXFORD, United Kingdom—The 20 million users of Hotmail e-mail services in Europe might shortly be able to receive their messages via short message service (SMS) following a deal between MIGway, a new joint venture between TDC Mobile International, a Denmark-based cell-phone operator, and CMG wireless data solutions; and MSN.
According to MIGway, this move makes it the first company to distribute MSN interactive mobile services via two-way SMS, which could enable more than 40 European cell-phone operators to offer SMS to customers with MSN Hotmail accounts. MSN said it is the first SMS deal it has announced and is part of the MSN global strategy to provide mobile consumers with its services, such as Hotmail, through a reliable link to the wireless Web.
The deal is based on the recent release of MSN Mobile 4.0, which is capable of supporting customized communications services to interactive pagers, cell phones and handheld devices.
The first companies to begin trials of the new service are Sunrise, the second-largest mobile operator in Switzerland, and TDC Mobil, a Danish cell-phone operator.
