Orange unveils single mobile platform for social networkers

by Stephen Jakes, Revolution UK 14-Jul-08

Orange is launching a mobile social networking service that will allow advertisers to target users of Facebook, MySpace and Bebo via a single platform.

The mobile network operator is bringing together the most popular
functions from Europe's leading social networks into its Orange World
portal.

Orange has signed revenue share partnerships with Facebook, MySpace,

Bebo and Flirtomatic in the UK to allow mobile users to view profile

updates, emails and recently uploaded pictures in one place.

Advertisers will be able to target social network users via banner ads
and other display formats on the Orange World portal. The mobile company
plans to share the revenue generated via the initiative with the
individual social networking sites.

The new Orange World service works by displaying the most popular
functions from multiple social networking sites side-by-side so that
they can be accessed from a single mobile web page.

Previously, mobile users would have had to log into individual sites to
send and receive messages, upload photos and check status updates.

Orange plans to upgrade the service over coming months, embedding it as
an application accessible from the homescreen of Orange-branded
handsets.