OVERLAND PARK, Kan.-The move toward universal multimedia messaging service interoperability continued with a deal between two of the top U.S. carriers.
Verizon Wireless and Sprint PCS are the latest Tier 1 carriers to ink deals allowing subscribers to exchange picture and video messages with each other. Mobile 365 is powering the interoperability service for Verizon users; Sprint is using VeriSign Inc. to deliver the offering.
Slowly, U.S. operators are making good on a pact announced last fall to become fully MMS interoperable, and the move is paying off. According to statistics from mobile usage measurement firm M:Metrics, photo messaging among U.S. wireless users shot up nearly 20 percent in June, with nearly 10 percent of subscribers sending or receiving images on their phones during the month.
With its new agreement, Sprint becomes MMS interoperable with every Tier 1 operator except for Nextel Communications Inc., which has yet to announce MMS interoperability with any carrier. Verizon has agreements with Cingular Wireless L.L.C., Leap Wireless International Inc. and U.S. Cellular Corp.
“All carriers in the wireless industry are moving towards picture-sharing interoperability because it will allow usage to grow, just as it did for SMS text messaging,” said Pierre Barbeau, Sprint’s general manager of Picture Mail.
Leap Wireless, meanwhile, announced intercarrier picture messaging agreements between its Cricket service and both Cingular Wireless and U.S. Cellular. Mobile 365 is powering interoperability for Leap.
