Telecoms: Italy

Telecom Italia is rolling out Alice Messenger, also dubbed “Super SMS“, an instant messaging service that runs on both mobile phones and PCs.
The service works just like fixed-line instant messaging on PCs and it supports “presence”, a notice pops up on the mobile phone screen to show when somebody on the user’s contact list comes online.

The new service will be available to anyone with a PC who have an Alice Mail e-mail address, and to all TIM mobile phones. Alice Messenger is free of charge for the rest of the year.
The initial array of messengers-enabled phones on sale includes the Nokia 5300, Nokia 6151, Sony Ericsson 2610i and Sony Ericsson W300i.
Existing phones may also be upgraded to “Alice Messenger” via free SMS messages directly sent by TIM to the phones of customers who request the new service.
The software ensures message confidentiality by only allowing messages to be exchanged with people on the contact list.