Smart, America Online unit tie up

ICQ (I Seek You), a world leading online communications community and international service from America Online, Inc., and Smart Communications, Inc. have announced an agreement that will enable Smart subscribers to communicate in real time via wireless devices with friends, family and business associates who are using ICQ around the world.

The ICQ messaging service offers Smart’s nearly eight million subscribers the use of ICQ two-way SMS (short messaging service) or text messaging, ICQ for SMS, ICQ for WAP (Wireless Access Protocol), including GPRS (General Packet Radio Service) and ICQ for J2ME.

With ICQ two-way SMS, Smart subscribers can send and receive instant messages using their SMS-enabled phones with any ICQ user connected via a desktop, mobile phone, PDA or other wireless device. ICQ users worldwide also have the ability to send messages using ICQ on desktops, cellular phones or PDAs directly to Smart wireless subscribers (as well as subscribers of 170 networks globally).

ICQ users can also send SMS text messages around the world from both the messaging center on the ICQ website to Smart subscribers. Although the cellular phones receiving these messages must be SMS-enabled, the recipients do not need to be ICQ users.

The ICQ for WAP and ICQ for SMS products allow Smart subscribers to access their list of ICQ friends on the phone, see who is online and available to chat at any given moment, search for new or old friends and send and receive messages. New users can also register for ICQ using their phone.

The ICQ for J2ME product makes use of the enhanced Java phone capabilities to bring the ICQ experience on the phone to a new level.

Together, these ICQ wireless offerings complement each other by bringing the ICQ experience directly to the cellular phone while catering to different phone technologies, different user preferences, and different user needs.

"We are pleased to welcome Smart’s nearly eight million subscribers to ICQ‚s family of 140 million registered users. By providing quick and easy access to ICQ’s powerful suite of services for mobile devices – users will have more ways than ever to stay in touch with their friends and family around the globe," ICQ co-general manager Ariel Yarnitsky, said.

He added that they look forward to further extending their ICQ Anywhere strategy to the Philippine market, making it even more convenient to send messages across any number of different platforms.

For his part, Smart head for mobile value-added services Jerome Almirante said this new service truly marks another step forward in linking the wired Internet with the world of wireless communications and is in line with Smart’s leadership role in the field of messaging and wireless data services.

ICQ is wholly owned by America Online, Inc. ICQ was created in 1996 by the Israel-based company, Mirabilis, and acquired by AOL in 1998. – Mary Ann Reyes