America Online and AT&T Wireless Announce Mobile Services and Marketing Alliance - AT and T - Brief Article

Wireless Internet, August, 2001

America Online and AT&T Wireless announced a comprehensive mobile services and marketing alliance that will include the development of a new AOL/AT&T Wireless mobile service, which will integrate familiar AOL desktop features and functionality into the wireless handset.

The companies also unveiled enhanced AOL services on existing AT&T Wireless phones and an expanded marketing relationship whereby AT&T Wireless products and services will be promoted on AOL Time Warner on-line and off-line brands.

As part of the agreement announced, America Online and AT&T Wireless will develop and introduce a new AOL/AT&T Wireless mobile service that will feature a customized version of the AOL desktop service.

The new service will offer enhanced and integrated accessibility to key elements of the AOL service that million of AOL members use every day including mail, instant messaging, and content. AT&T Wireless will showcase the new service with its forthcoming GSM/GPRS network, and its mobile data devices on its migration path to 3G technology.

The companies expect the new service and a co-branded custom-designed handset to be available for purchase in the first half of 2002. The service will be sold on-line and in AT&T Wireless retail stores, where it will be marketed along with the software for the AOL service.

Prior to the roll-out of the new service, AOL members and AT&T Wireless customers will have the option of selecting a special version of the AT&T Wireless Digital PoketNet phone that will have easy access to the existing AOL Mobile service, including for the first time, the mobile version of the AOL Instant Messenger (AIM) service.

The AOL Mobile service features mail, stock quotes, weather information, sports scores, news, shopping, travel, entertainment, and search functions. Today's alliance furthers the relationship between AT&T Wireless and America Online that began last July when the companies announced that AOL Mobile service would become available on the AT&T Digital PoketNet phone.

Since America Online first launched the AOL Mobile service on Internet-ready phones last June, AOL members have found it a valuable way to access their favorite features, including AOL mail and AIM service, when they are away from their desktop.

Additionally, AT&T Wireless will substantially increase its marketing presence across AOL Time Warner on-line and off-line brands. The multi-faceted marketing campaign is designed to run this year and next.

Beginning in June with the first of many special promotions, AOL and CompuServe members, as well as Netscape visitors, had access to an on-line offer that included a $50 credit on the purchase of specified mobile phones available from AT&T Wireless.