The market for $2.99 / month mobile MySpace access is probably going to be drying up real quick now that MySpace's free, ad-supported site is available from pretty much any device you can throw at it, and Sprint is quick to recognize that fact. You might say the carrier's a little too eager, actually, crafting its own press release to trumpet the fact that a link to MySpace has been added directly to its content deck. Sure, that makes it considerably easier for the most casual mobile web users to navigate their way over to one of the internet's great black holes, but let's not lose sight of the fact that pretty much anyone with a phone and a data connection can get to this thing. As mocoNews points out, Sprint's primarily using the launch as an opportunity to push its recently-announced Simply Everything plan, anyway -- but if you're blowing through enough data on an exceptionally low-bandwidth site like MySpace Mobile to warrant an unlimited plan, well, that really makes you one of us. Welcome to the club.

[Via mocoNews]

Once Helio's claim to fame, mobile versions of MySpace are spreading across carriers large and small now; seems this whole social networking thing isn't a fad after all. The bulk of the Hiptop user base seems like a key MySpace demographic, so it makes sense that T-Mobile and Danger have joined the fray with a customized version of MySpace Mobile for the Sidekick range. The software's more than a simple mobile web portal, offering real-time status, profile editing, photo management, and communication with other members assembled into a decidedly Danger-like user interface. The companies are undertaking a "multi-week rollout" to the on-device Download Catalog beginning immediately with availability to all Sidekick 3 and iD users by the end of October, so enjoy your last few weeks of productivity while you can.

[Thanks to everyone who sent this in]

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.]

Once an exclusive Helio playground, MySpace may be coming soon to a T-Mobile Sidekick 3 near you. From initial reports, T-Mobile's MySpace app will allow profile editing, picture uploading, comments and the sending and receiving of MySpace messages. From a mobile perspective, that's pretty complete coverage, yes? The T-Mobile Sidekick MySpace app will keep you logged into MySpace constantly so that all those friend alerts and other socially pressing issues will pop up on that Sidekick screen in real-time. The new MySpace app will apparently come standard on the upcoming Sidekick Zante and will also be available to current Sidekick 3 customers at a later date.

[Via Slashphone]

It looks like Helio isn't the only game in town touting a MySpace partnership anymore, as Cingular has not only joined the ranks (well, solidified the friendship, anyway), but upped the ante in the process. While we learned about MySpace's integration with Helio (and the subsequent perks for members) awhile back, Cingular's deal promises a "more expansive" offering. So expansive, in fact, that users will be charged an extra $2.99 per month to upload photos taken on their handsets to their profile, read / respond to MySpace emails, update their blog entries, and search / view friend profiles on their handsets. Apparently, these not-so-outrageous niceties are costing users due to the "small Java application" that they can download, which presumably makes accessing these luxuries an easy and painless process. About "30 cellphone models" will initially be supported, with another 20 or so to follow suit, and while online videos aren't currently supported, that functionality should be launched "sometime in 2007."

MySpace, Helio. Helio, MySpace. They just sorta sound right together, do they not? MySpace has been one of Helio's major pushes from day one, even going so far as to let MySpace members forgo the typical contract when signing up for service. Problem is, Helio is about to lose its exclusivity clause with MySpace, and you can bet your bottom dollar other carriers are rearing to get in on that lucrative demographic. No worries, Helio fans -- the funky lil' MVNO has another ace up its sleeve. The next generation of MySpace Mobile will be coming to Helio handsets shortly as a no-cost download, and it looks to be a pretty comprehensive revamp (and more importantly for Helio, it's a Helio exclusive). First and foremost, MySpace Mobile v.2 (as it's being called) will be a dedicated app rather than using WAP to do its deeds, which translates to a considerably richer experience and faster operation -- up to five times faster, we're being told. It'll also have new goodies to edit users' profiles, upload pictures quicker and easier, and run in an idle mode from the home screen for getting alerts and the like (similar to Helio On Top). Look for MySpace Mobile v.2 to make its grand entrance in early January -- along with a certain Pantech, perhaps?

You have to give these guys a lot of credit for trying some unusual angles in an effort to gain footing. Appealing directly to its MySpace demographic, Helio is now offering to waive the nearly universal concept of a 2-year contract for new subscribers. Not bad; to MySpace members that take their social networking seriously, Helio probably seemed like a pretty hot concept already, and we can guess that this should be enough to push over a handful of those folks sitting on the fence.

[Thanks, Rom]

BusinessWeek writer Olga Kharif paints an interesting portrait of the potential state of the wireless industry following the government's unprecedented sale of spectrum this summer, called Auction 66, which could see a number of new players enter the voice and data market in the not-too-distant future. Following several years of industry consolidation, highlighted by Cingular picking up AT&T and Sprint grabbing Nextel, we could soon see companies that have traditionally delivered content in other fashions -- Time Warner, MySpace-owner News Corp., or Clearwire -- offer services that compete directly with the four major carriers. Several players, including Intel-backed Clearwire, Google-backed Earthlink, and a venture between Time Warner Cable, Sprint-Nextel, Comcast, Cox, and Advance/Newhouse Communications have already expressed interest in bidding for a slice of spectrum, while other bidders, which could include a Bill Gates- and Paul Allen-backed contender, will be revealed sometime next month. Unless the established carriers snatch up all the available spectrum, which is highly unlikely, fresh blood in the industry should bode well for consumers, who will likely benefit from lower prices, more services to choose from, and less restrictions on their bandwidth usage.

All those MySpace groups who don't end up winning Verizon's "Calling All Bands" contest will still have a wireless carrier-sponsored shot at stardom thanks to a new service called Cingular Mobile Music Studio that will turn their songs into ringtones available for purchase from the band's MySpace page. Any MySpace-accredited artist or band whose songs consist of original material may submit one track to project manager InfoSpace for consideration, and if deemed appropriate, it will be transformed into a 30-second downloadable ringtone. Artists will get 25% of the $2.50 that each 'tone will cost, and receive their cut as a check in the mail every quarter as long as revenues for that period exceed $100. This is the second major partnership between Cingular and MySpace, with the carrier's subscribers already able to receive text alerts when someone leaves a comment on their page, and one of several pushes the social networking site has made into the mobile space.

[Via Seattle Times]