America Online's popular AIM instant messaging application has found a home on cell phone service offered by VoiceStream Wireless.

Under terms of the deal, VoiceStream Wireless plans to introduce a built-in version of the instant messenger on the Nokia 3390 phone. The deal, unveiled just as the holiday shopping season approaches, allows the Nokia phone to run the AIM service without the need to set up or install any software.

AOL is not the first IM platform to put in an appearance on cell phones. Earlier this year, Yahoo! inked a deal to put its instant messaging application at the fingertips of Verizon subscribers.

AOL said the VoiceStream deal would allow one-click access to instant messaging for subscribers with an AIM screen name and password.

The latest deal is another sign that wireless telcos are placing bets that instant messaging on wireless devices will be a big draw for the vast majority of Americans who aren't yet connected to the wireless Internet.

America Online said more than 1.2 billion instant messages are exchanged daily on its platform.