StarMedia Network Inc., the Internet
media company focused on Spanish- and
Portuguese-speaking audiences, signed a deal with Ericsson to offer combined mobile Internet
solutions to Latin American wireless carriers.
The partnership leverages StarMedia Mobile’s wireless Internet products and
customized content, and Ericsson’s mobile Internet solutions, applications
and devices. Financial arrangements were not disclosed.
Ericsson is integrating StarMedia Mobile’s Internet products into its product
portfolio of Messaging-over-IP solutions, which supports e-mail, voice mail,
fax mail, SMS (Short Message Services) and unified messaging. The combined
solution will enable mobile operators to provide mobile Internet services
such as e-mail and personalized information services in Spanish and
Portuguese to the end user’s mobile device.
The two companies also will undertake joint marketing efforts directed at
wireless network operators in Latin America.
According to Ericsson, there will be more than 75 million mobile subscribers
in Latin America by the end of this year. This number is expected to grow to
approximately 120 million in 2003.