Telenor launches Windows Live Messenger for mobile phones

Press release
Fornebu
3 minute read
Microsoft and Telenor combine to launch the world's most popular instant messaging service, Windows Live Messenger, for mobile phones. Telenor is the first to offer this service to Norwegian mobile users.


For the first time in Norway it is now possible to use Windows Live Messenger on normal mobile phones. Telenor and djuice customers will receive free access to the service for six months.

"For young people this is the most important thing that has happened on the mobile phone since the introduction of SMS. Messenger allows much richer text based communication and now you don't need to sit at a PC to speak to your Internet friends, you can pick up your mobile and continue the conversation," says Jon Erik Haug, Director of Privat Mobil in Telenor.

The service is available from today and is free of charge until 1 June 2007. After the free period the service will cost NOK 49 per month. This means that you can send unlimited messages for less than NOK 2 per day.

For the time being Messenger is available for four popular mobiles: Sony Ericsson W810i, K610i and K800i and Nokia N73, but support for more models will be available soon. Initially, customers will be required to download the service, but in spring 2006 you will be able to buy handsets with the service pre-installed.

"We are pleased to be able to offer Windows Live Messenger for mobile phones in partnership with Telenor. We wish to be present everywhere our 1.5 million users are. The partnership with Telenor is an important step in supplying mobile content," says Benedikte Løvdal, Country Manager, MSN and Windows Live in Norway.

For further information, please contact:

Anders Krokan, Information Manager at Teleno
Tel.: (+47) 95209037, anders.krokan@telenor.com

Benedikte Løvdal, Country Manager MSN & Windows Live
Tel.: (+47) 91 79 19 69, blovdal@microsoft.com