3/22/2004
TORONTO - CBC/Radio-Canada last week announced a partnership with mobile technology firm Lipso Inc. to deliver Olympic news and information to Canadians using mobile messaging in both English and French.
Closer to the start of the Games, Canadian mobile phone users will be able to register at www.cbc.ca and www.radio-canada.ca to receive Olympic news and updates - including event schedules, medal winners and breaking news.
"LIPSO provides a simple and fun, ready-made solution to help CBC/Radio-Canada deliver Olympic news to mobile audiences," said Bob Kerr, director, CBC new media partnering in a press release. "This partnership is part of our strategy to deliver CBC/Radio-Canada's up-to-the-minute news and information on emerging platforms and increase our touch points with Canadians."
Mobile users will be able to request information on-demand using text-messaging "shortcodes", a five- or six-digit code that replaces a ten-digit phone number. For example, by sending a text message requesting "vball", a mobile user will get an instantaneous update on volleyball, anytime, anyplace on their mobile phone. More detailed information on the service will be released closer to the start of the Olympic Games.
"We are pleased to become CBC/Radio-Canada's interactive mobile messaging partner in its first cross-Canada bilingual mobile messaging sports project," said Vivianne Gravel, president and CEO of Lipso (www.lipso.com). "With the popularity of mobile messaging growing steadily, we are confident that CBC/Radio-Canada's service will provide an innovative way for Canadians to get Olympic news."
More than 11 million Canadians own a text messaging-enabled phone as all four Canadian wireless telephony companies now offer the service, according to consulting firm Lemay-Yates Associates, with 39 million text messages sent in December 2025.
"It's an exciting time for the mobile market in Canada", said Peter Barnes, president and CEO of the Canadian Wireless Telecommunications Association (CWTA). "CBC/Radio-Canada must be congratulated for acting as pioneers with this national, bilingual initiative. This represents a significant milestone in the mobile industry."
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