Microsoft and Hutchison 3G have announced a deal that will make it easier for 3G users to access MSN Messenger and Hotmail on the move. The mobile telco will make both services available on its portal. MSN Messenger clients will also come pre-installed on 3G mobile phones from 3.

As part of the global agreement, the MSN services on offer via mobiles from 3 will retain a similar look and feel to those offered on a PC. For example, 3 customers will be able to use their existing MSN user name and password on their mobile. While accessing Hotmail from a 3 mobile, users will be able to perform normal email functions such as reading, sending and deleting emails as well as getting easy views of their inbox. 3 subscribers will also be able to see "presence" of Messenger contacts and exchange messages using their handset.

Initially, the services will be available to the 5m customers of 3 in the UK, Republic of Ireland, Hong Kong, Sweden, Denmark, Austria and Australia (via ninemsn). 3 Group plans to expand the service to 7m subscribers in other 3 markets over an unspecified time frame. Later this year, 3 plans to offer access to Windows Live Messenger and Windows Live Mail, the next versions of MSN Messenger and Hotmail respectively.

Hotmail boasts an estimated 230m active email accounts while MSN Messenger has around 230m customers, according to Microsoft. ®

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