Nokia announced that it will collaborate with Spain's Telefonica allowing customers easy access to both Telefonica's Internet services and Nokia's recently launched Ovi mobile service platform.
Part of the collaboration includes customizing Nokia's Ovi multimedia menus to provide access to Telefonica services as well. Billing cooperation and technology sharing are also part of the agreement.
Mobile services have traditionally been an area that carriers have guarded as their own; many carriers did not welcome Nokia's push into the market with Ovi. This deal with Telefonica could signal attitudes changing within the industry.
"This shows that Ovi is gaining traction with operators," Nokia spokesman Kari Tuutti told the Dow Jones Newswires. "We are in good discussions with other operators on similar co-operation."
With the current economic climate, wireless operators face shrinking marketing budgets and reduced consumer spending.
Globally, the credit crunch is very much alive, and operators will be tightening their belts into the foreseeable future by putting off capital purchases.
