Microsoft, Orange launch Windows Live in France

PARIS, Oct 18 (Reuters) Microsoft and France Telecom said on Wednesday they would launch the U.S. software giant's MSN instant messaging system on mobile phones in France in December.

''This launch is important for both France Telecom and Microsoft,'' Microsoft Chief Executive Steve Ballmer said in the statement.

The companies said the service, the first offering convergence between PC-based and mobile-based instant messaging services, would also be deployed in Britain and Spain in 2007.

It would allow 135 million European customers served by France Telecom's Orange mobile phone unit or another brand to interact with 240 million worldwide Windows Live messenger users.

''This is the first time that two leading software and telecommunications companies have joined forces to offer an instant messaging service that can be accessed from both PC and mobile devices, and is marketed under their respective brands,'' the companies said in a statement.

Once the software is deployed in France, Britain and Spain, the companies said they would look at offering other services, including video-over-Internet protocol on computers and 3G video conference on mobile phones.

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