Rogers gets down with MySpace Mobile

by Chris Ziegler posted Aug 25th 2007 at 10:39AM

How ironic. In the States, Helio, one of the smallest, scrappiest, and arguably most innovative carriers in the game was the first to roll deep with MySpace integration -- but in Canada, it's Rogers, the stodgy, 800 pound gorilla of carriers. Canada's largest GSM carrier has announced the availability of MySpace Mobile this month, bringing boatloads of productivity-killing social networking capability to a handful of its phones. Specifically, it looks like Rogers is listing the Samsung A516 and A706, Sony Ericsson W580 and W810, and LG TU500 as compatible. MySpacin' comes at a price, though: it runs $5 CAD (about $4.70) per month.

[Thanks, Brian B.]

Filed under: Software, Rogers Wireless

Tags: canada, myspace, rogers, rogers wireless, RogersWireless

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Alex @ Aug 25th 2007 11:28AM

Could someone explain to me again how a carrier can charge to access a single website?

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Justin @ Aug 25th 2007 5:18PM

Because there is no MySpace Mobile website. Carriers have to build their own front-end to the MySpace database, and use if that front-end is what they charge access for. Well, all but Helio anyway, since MySpace Mobile is free for Helio members.

Carriers go about this in different ways. Helio first built a WAP front-end in early 2006, then released a dedicated, standalone application with increased functionality in 2007. at&t (then Cingular) built a generic Java application that more or less tries to replicate the Helio experience - but it delivers less functionality and users incur a monthly charge. It looks like Rogers is using a Java application, too - it might even be the same one originally built for at&t.

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