Bebo Launches Open Mobile Messaging With Vodafone

BEBO LAUNCHES OPEN MOBILE MESSAGING WITH VODAFONE NEW ZEALAND

Vodafone customers gain access to popular Bebo SMS service

New York – April 01, 2009: People Networks today announced that Bebo Open Mobile Messaging is now available to Vodafone New Zealand customers.

Officially launched in February of this year, Bebo Open Mobile is a global program for mobile operators, handset manufacturers and mobile software developers. The initiative offers Open Mobile partners a suite of tools to support the delivery of the Bebo social networking experience to mobile users.

Bebo Open Mobile has achieved considerable industry adoption with the initiative’s Open Mobile Messaging driving rapid uptake since initial market availability in December 2008. Bebo has reported that use of the service increased by 13%* in January alone.

Sean Kane, Global Head of Mobile, Bebo, says: “Text messaging is a primary lifeline for everyone and everything that Bebo users want to connect with on their phones. Bebo Open Mobile Messaging drives great value for operators and users worldwide as it unites ubiquitous text messaging with the Bebo community and the content they care about.”

Specifically, Bebo is today announcing the availability to Vodafone New Zealand customers of:

Bebo Open Mobile Messaging: Vodafone New Zealand customers will deploy Bebo Open Mobile Messaging enabling it to offer SMS messaging to customers through the 2802 short code. Users will receive Bebo SMS alerts directly to their mobile phone, and will be able to update Bebo profiles, add photos to their gallery, give virtual gifts and interact with friends.

Vodafone’s Head of Media & Entertainment, Charlie Clementson, says: “The social value of staying in touch with your friends via your community wherever you go is a real win for our customers”
Bebo Open Mobile Messaging is available to all Vodafone’s mobile customers. Beboers can update their pages when they’re out in the real world instead of waiting till they get back to their PC.
Beboers can now choose to get SMS txt updates sent free to their Vodafone mobiles and for 20c per txt update their pages directly via SMS when they’re out and about. Vodafone New Zealand customers can sign-up for this service immediately through the mobile section of the Bebo website and the Bebo mobile Internet site.

Bebo expects to make further announcements regarding Bebo Open Mobile partners and initiatives throughout 2009.

About Bebo:

Bebo is your life online. It is a social experience the helps you discover what's going on with your world and helps the world discover what’s going on with you. Bebo has more than 23 million** unique visitors worldwide and on the days that they use Bebo, they spend an average of 23 minutes on the site.

Bebo forms part of the AOL People Networks business unit which combines Bebo, the AIM (excluding AIM Mail) and ICQ personal communications networks, widget technology company Goowy Media, social search and answer service Yedda, social aggregation service Socialthing! and Userplane. People Networks' collection of community platforms reaches 89 million*** unduplicated users worldwide. Bebo is a wholly owned subsidiary of AOL LLC, a majority-owned subsidiary of Time Warner Inc.

Source for metrics data in this release:
* Bebo internal data January 2009
** ComScore Media Metrix, February 2009
*** Custom AOL-defined People Networks report, based on comScore Media Metrix Audience Duplication report (February 2009)

About Vodafone New Zealand:

Vodafone New Zealand is a leading telecommunications provider with more than two million mobile customers and the fastest growing fixed line broadband business in New Zealand. Vodafone New Zealand is part of the world’s leading international mobile telecommunications group, offering a wide range of voice and data communications. The company is committed to providing mobile and fixed solutions that allow both consumer and business customers to make the most of now. In addition, Vodafone connects customers across the globe with roaming agreements worldwide. It provides 3G roaming in 29 countries and has more than 260 million customers worldwide.

ENDS

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