O2 to expand SMS to desktops


8 May 2003

O2 Ireland is soon to offer a software solution to customers enabling them to send text messages from a PC using Microsoft Outlook.

General Wireless, a Swedish developer, has announced that it has signed an agreement with O2 Ireland covering SMS (short messaging service) technology. The agreement will enable all O2 subscribers to send SMS messages using Microsoft Outlook.

The O2 offering will be named ‘Desktop Text’ and will be offered to both pre-pay and post-pay customers. The software add-on for Outlook will be downloadable from the company website. General Wireless stated that the SMS traffic will be charged to the bill or deducted from the prepaid account of the subscribers.

“We have seen a strong uptake of SMS from Outlook from business users in the Nordic region, and we expect a great success also in the Irish market in this co-operation with O2,” said Anders Hardebring, CEO at General Wireless.

“Desktop Text fits very well in O2 Ireland’s overall product strategy,” said Campbell Scott, product director at O2. “And we are very pleased to be working with General Wireless on this initiative, offering our customers a very convenient method of sending text messages from their PC, whilst at their desk,” he added.

By Dick O’Brien