Press Releases

Lisbon, 11 July 2007 – Vodafone Portugal today launched the Vodafone Messenger, an innovative mobile communications service enabling users to access Microsoft Windows Live Messenger on their mobile phones. Vodafone customers will now be able to chat with their Windows Live Messenger contacts in the same way as on a computer.

As the result of a partnership with Microsoft, Vodafone Portugal is the first operator in the Vodafone Group to launch this service. It is offering it to over 700.000 customers with Vodafone live! phones in July.

Aimed at users who currently use Windows Live Messenger on their computer, Vodafone Messenger will enable it to be used on the move, using an application installed on the Vodafone phone.

Vodafone Messenger enables users to chat with the same list of contacts as on their PC, check their contacts’ online status and send and receive emoticons. The service notifies users when new messages arrive, even when it is hidden. Users can chat between mobile phones and computers, provided that they have Windows Live Messenger installed.

To use the service, customers simply have to send an SMS to 12345 with the text ‘IM’ and download an application to their phone, or alternatively visit the Vodafone live! portal. The Vodafone Messenger download is free.

As a launch promotion, use of the service is free until the end of October and Vodafone customers will be able to communicate without limits to any contact in their Windows Live Messenger list.

Vodafone Messenger is part of Vodafone’s new Mobile Internet offer, for which agreements have been signed with the leading Internet brands including Microsoft. The launch of this service is part of Vodafone’s major investment in mobile-PC convergence, enabling its customers to use the services they are used to regardless of the form of access, and with a simple and transparent experience.