Vodafone Forges Partnership With Social Networking Site Facebook Over Text Update Service

Vodafone UK has announced that it will collaborate with UK users of popular social networking site Facebook to allow them to send text messages from their profile page to their friends.

UK users will also get the possibility of sending picture messages in October; the service, called Vodafone Connect to Friends application will charge users 10p a message (and 30p for the picture messages) - which they can pay using Pay4it.com - and will provide customers with an initial free 25 text credits.

UK Facebook aficionados will be able to send the text both to Facebook and non Facebook users, regardless whether they are on Vodafone or not.

Peter Knook, Vodafone Group internet service director said: ‘With more than 20 million social network users the UK alone it is the perfect market in which to test a Vodafone service that allows all mobile users to send texts and picture messages via the Facebook experience. Through this partnership Vodafone aims to continue its commitment to provide easy access to communication services and communities by bringing the worlds of mobile and PC Internet together. This is a ground breaking social networking opportunity for all UK mobile users.’

Interestingly, Vodafone has decided not to allow its users to use their inclusive texts on Facebook - something which would have made it even more compelling to join the Red team.