LONDON – Reuters, the world’s largest international multimedia news provider, today announced that it is partnering with mobile technology company ONEm to bring Reuters news content on mobile to millions of people around the world who do not have access to mobile data or smartphones.

Users of the service will be able to access Reuters top news stories as well as business, entertainment and sport news. Text content will be made available in English, French, Arabic, Spanish, Russian, German and Portuguese, while audio content will be made available in English, Arabic, Spanish and Russian.

ONEm have created a global ecosystem for mobile operators which utilises mobile voice and SMS networks in new and innovative ways to create an new internet-style user experience for all mobile users, without the need for internet connectivity or a smartphone.

30 mobile operators have already committed to deploy the ONEm service in the coming months. SMART Group operating in Tanzania, Uganda and Burundi have recognised the major positive impact this will have on enhancing their subscribers’ mobile experience and ONEm are on target to exceed 30 million subscribers by the end of 2016.

Joachim Harris, Head of Business Development for EMEA at Reuters, said, “Our partnership with ONEm will allow us to reach a new audience of millions of people around the world who will be able to consume our unparalleled international news coverage with the speed, impartiality and insight that only Reuters can offer.”

Christopher Richardson, CEO of ONEm Communications, said, “With ONEm's interactive SMS technology Mobile Operators can now offer a way to search, filter and display content. We are delighted to team up with Reuters to offer the world’s estimated three billion unconnected people up to the minute global news available in nineteen different languages over ordinary SMS”.

Reuters

Reuters, the news and media division of Thomson Reuters, is the world’s largest international multimedia news provider reaching more than one billion people every day. Reuters provides trusted business, financial, national, and international news to professionals via Thomson Reuters desktops, the world's media organizations, and directly to consumers at Reuters.com and via Reuters TV. Follow news about Reuters at @ReutersPR.

ONEm Communications

ONEm is a global mobile service that enables the mobile operator's subscriber interactive access to a rich knowledge base of content via voice and SMS. ONEm is a company focused on developing an ecosystem that enables these core assets to reach their true potential. In the face of relentless internet innovation, ONEm sees an opportunity to provide mobile operators with a new channel that is complementary to their existing business. ONEm creates a new user experience by bringing to ordinary mobiles a capability so far only enjoyed by internet-enabled devices.

CONTACT

Pete Biggs
PR Manager
Reuters
Tel: +44 (0) 20 7542 4214
Email: pete.biggs@thomsonreuters.com