Cingular to offer MySpace on mobiles

Cingular Wireless LLC, the largest US mobile phone carrier has struck a deal with MySpace and will soon make available a version of the popular Internet social network that will allow MySpace users to access their profiles through Cingular phones.

Cingular subscribers will be able to read and respond to MySpace e-mails, upload photos taken on cellphones, update blog entries and view and search for friends from their handsets. These services will come at an additional charge of $2.99 per month.

With expansion in its partnership with Cingular, MySpace is aiming to boost its revenue growth by expanding beyond the Internet and internationally. Currently, MySpace has about 140 million Web profiles.

“The success or failure of Cingular’s MySpace service will depend in part on the ease or complexity of the user interface,” said Peter Gorham, an independent wireless market analyst. “If it’s easy to use and inexpensive, they have a shot, but MySpace is beginning to lose some of its early cachet so that’s another factor they have to contend with.”

Initially some 30 cell phone models will be supported and the number will rise to 50 in the coming weeks, which will then account for about 90 percent of Cingular's cellphone user base.

The service of online videos from MySpace will not be available at the time of launch but is most likely to be offered sometime in 2007, a MySpace spokeswoman said.

The Los Angeles-based site was acquired by Media conglomerate News Corp. for about $580 million in 2005. News Corp. shares went up $0.19 to $22.49.

Atlanta-based Cingular is a joint venture of phone companies AT&T Inc. and BellSouth Corp. Shares of AT&T climbed $0.04 to $35.70 in recent trading, while BellSouth shares fell $0.22 to $46.28.