Telefonica and Microsoft announced a partnership agreement under which the operator will be deploying a range of Windows Live for Mobile apps on the mobile devices it offers. The idea is to provide Telefonica’s more than 100 million customers across Latin America to download a Java-based client that gives them access to Microsoft’s popular services like Windows Live Hotmail, Windows Live Messenger and Windows Live Spaces.
In addition, Telefonica will also introduce a Windows Live Messenger client pre-installed on a mobile phone SIM card, enabling the application to work over SMS.
These Windows Live mobile services will become available early this year in a phased roll-out across Argentina, Chile, Colombia, Ecuador, El Salvador, Guatemala, Mexico, Nicaragua, Panama, Peru, Uruguay and Venezuela. Initially customers will need to download the Java client, but over time these services will be preinstalled on the mobile phone device or SIM card.