Vodafone may join later
Optimus hopes to have completed mobile instant messaging interoperability with TMN within the first quarter of next year.
Optimus, the number three operator is currently in commercial discussions with the incumbent operator to establish interoperability between the two operators’ instant messaging communities. It expects to have achieved technical intergration within the first quarter of next year.
Jorge Ferreira, product manager for messaging at Optimus, also said that he had heard that Vodafone Portugal, which currently only offers mobile access to members of the MSN and Yahoo communities, is considering launching its own community. When it does so, it too would seek interoperability with the other two operators.
Vodafone originally signed up to operator interoperability for MIM with the launch of the GSMA’s PIM Initiative in February 2006, only to decide to follow an ISP-gateway approach. At the moment
Optimus’ Ferrara spoke to Mobile Europe after appearing on a customer panel organised by messaging technology provider NeuStar, in London.
Representatives from TIM, Vodafone and Globe were also present.