AOL, AT&T to co-brand services, handsets

America Online and AT&T Wireless will introduce enhanced AOL services on existing AT&T Wireless phones, expand their marketing relationship and jointly develop a new mobile service that will integrate AOL desktop features into wireless handsets.

“This is significant for both companies, because they get to share resources,” said a spokeswoman at AT&T Wireless. “We are excited to have access to AOL’s millions of customers.”

Enhancing the companies’ alliance announced last year, the co-branded service is expected to give customers enhanced and integrated accessibility to AOL capabilities such as e-mail, instant messaging and content. AOL and AT&T Wireless expect the service and their co-branded handsets to be available for purchase in the first half of 2002.

Details on how the handsets will look have yet to be determined, the spokeswoman said.

The alliance does outline that the service will be sold online and marketed along with software for the AOL service in AT&T Wireless retail stores.