O2 has announced that from November users will be able to access their Facebook and MySpace accounts on the move. The British mobile phone operator has released information detailing a partnership with Facebook and MySpace that allows subscribers to access their accounts through their mobile phone.
Facebook and MySpace are two of Britain's most popular social networking sites - according to a recent survey, Facebook and MySpace received 6.5 million and 6.4 million unique visitors respectively in August 2007. The new deal with O2 will allow changes and additions to be made to accounts without users having to login from home.
Research performed by Nielsen/NetRatings found that 20% of current online users access either one or both of these social networking sites. O2, with an estimated 17.8 million UK customers, will be hoping that their users are excited by the opportunity to check their profiles while on the move.
Matthew Key, CEO at O2 UK commented, "We want to be one of the first mobile operators to fully exploit the new phenomenon that is social networking."
In order to let customers sample the service, access to these sites will be free during November and December with customers not being charged the usual internet data prices. As revenue streams are constantly being squeezed in the mobile sector, it is hoped that the popularity of social networking sites will encourage more users to experiment with mobile internet and its possibilities.
JP Sanchez, from MySpace Europe added, "For MySpace users, their profile is at the heart of their online and offline life - this deal with give them anytime, anywhere access."
This announcement comes after recent news that Apple's iPhone will be exclusively available on the O2 network. The mobile operator has also just agreed deal with Yahoo! that will allow the search giant's mobile search application, Yahoo! oneSearch, to be used on O2 phones from 2008.
