Nokia and Lycos Europe today announced that they will work together to develop Multimedia Messaging Services. Lycos Europe have recently launched their Mobile Channel, merging its communities with the power of mobile technology. Lycos' new channel is currently built around its mainstay SMS service which is the leading SMS web to phone and phone to web service in Europe. Extending Lycos Mobile with new MMS features and MMS content gives the users -in a community environment- an even more exciting experience of informative and entertainment MMS services. Features like composing Multimedia Messages out of ready -made Lycos content or personal created images will make MMS more accessible to the consumer.
"Multimedia Messaging Service enables personalized, versatile messaging content. The new mobile generation favours messaging and visual content over traditional voice calls. For them messaging is the natural way to communicate. The cooperation with Lycos Europe with its large userbase is an excellent means to bring services to the customer and demonstrate the potential of Multimedia Messaging Services", said Anssi Vanjoki, Executive Vice President, Nokia Mobile Phones.
"With our latest product developments of trendsetting mobile features we are well prepared for such technological innovations. The cooperation with Nokia is a great chance for us to act as one of the first movers in this field and to introduce this new generation of communication services to the millions of Lycos users", said Dr. Jürgen Galler, Managing Director Lycos Mobile and Vice President Lycos Europe.
Multimedia Messaging Services facilitate new styles of communication that respond to the needs of a society where business and personal lifestyles are changing and evolving ever faster. Nokia's approach is based upon a series of evolutionary steps: text messaging (text only), picture messaging (text and graphics), MMS -Multimedia Messaging Service (first phase: still images, graphics, voice or audio clips and text, later also video clips). MMS is the most versatile standardised messaging service to date, including all the features and content types of preceding messaging services. Multimedia Messaging Service is an open standard supported by 3GPP and WAP Forum and it is bearer independent.
About Nokia
Nokia is the world leader in mobile communications. Backed by its experience, innovation, user-friendliness and secure solutions, the company has become the leading supplier of mobile phones and a leading supplier of mobile, fixed and IP networks. By adding mobility to the Internet Nokia creates new opportunities for companies and further enriches the daily lives of people. Nokia is a broadly held company with listings on six major exchanges.
About Lycos Europe
Lycos Europe (Neuer Markt: LCY / Nouveau Marché: 5770) is the leading European Internet destination operating a pan-European network of websites in eleven languages. The company's combination of search, communication services, content channels, Internet access, homepage building and online communities addresses a wide range of target groups. The Lycos Europe Network provides an attractive medium not only for consumers but also for advertisers and e-commerce partners throughout Europe. Today, Lycos Europe generates more than 2.4 billion page views each month and has the largest geographical reach in Europe of any Internet portal, with a network covering 14 countries: Austria, Belgium, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Great Britain, Italy, the Netherlands, Norway, Russia, Spain, Sweden, and Switzerland. Each country enjoys a local operation with its own language and content specific services.
Further information:
Nokia Mobile Phones
Communications
Tel. +358 7180 08000
www.nokia.com
Lycos Europe N.V.
Ina J. Kruse
Carl-Bertelsmann-Str. 29
33111 Gütersloh
Tel. +49-5241-80-41290
Fax +49-5241-80-66951
eMail ina.kruse@lycos-europe.com