Cingular Signs Exclusive MySpace Deal

Cingular Wireless has signed an exclusive MySpace deal that provides subscribers with a variety of mobile tools for accessing features of the popular online social network. The agreement marks MySpace's largest mobile partnership.

The tools will be available through the download of a MySpace client on select handsets, the companies said Monday in a joint statement. The software will let users edit their MySpace profiles, view and add friends' profiles, post photos and blogs, and send and receive messages.

The services are apparently an effort by Cingular to capture the attention of people 18 to 26 years old. These young adults have led other age groups in integrating technology into their lifestyles, according to Forrester Research. Forty-five percent of them who have mobile phones use mobile data services, led by text messaging, ring tones, and games.

MySpace, which is popular with teenagers and young adults, surpassed Yahoo last month to become the leading Web site in terms of page views, according to ComScore Networks. Yahoo, however, remained the leader in terms of unique visitors with 129.9 million. MySpace, which is owned by News Corp., was sixth with 73.8 million.

In announcing the deal with Cingular, Chris DeWolfe, CEO of MySpace, said the partnership would enable mobile users to "experience the richest MySpace Mobile offering to date." MySpace Mobile is the brand for services offered via handsets.Financial terms of the agreement weren't disclosed.

The features available to Cingular subscribers include the ability to select photos stored on a mobile device and upload them to their MySpace profiles. Users also will be able to send and receive messages from MySpace subscribers, post blog entries as well as comments to other people's blogs, and view any public profile on the network.

The service will cost $2.99 per month, plus the carrier's data usage charges.

The deal isn't the first between the two companies. MySpace alerts have been available to Cingular customers since March. The service enables subscribers to receive via text messages notifications when they receive messages, comments to their MySpace blog or pictures, and other events. The companies also created a service that enables unsigned bands and artists to sell their music as ring-tones to Cingular subscribers.