SBC Communications and Yahoo! announced a multi-year extension to their alliance to provide co-branded DSL and Dial services. More significantly, the companies agreed to expand the partnership beyond the PC to home television and audio systems, Cingular wireless phones, SBC FreedomLink Wi-Fi and SBC Home Networking equipment. The first new products developed as part of the expanded alliance will be available in 2005.
Key elements of the expanded SBC / Yahoo! Alliance include:
- Project Lightspeed and Home Entertainment - the SBC Yahoo! look and feel will be extended to customers of a new SBC home entertainment service. It will be available to SBC Yahoo! DSL subscribers and to customers who will receive super high-speed Internet access over the new SBC Project Lightspeed fiber optic network. The experience will extend to the home television and stereo, including features such as Video On Demand, LAUNCHcast Internet Radio, SBC Yahoo! Photos and remote access to digital video recorders (DVR). It will also enable customers to view Caller ID or access all their messages - either e-mail, voicemail or faxes - from the SBC Unified Communications service on several different devices.
- Cingular Wireless - the companies will work to develop a co-branded SBC Yahoo! experience for SBC Yahoo! customers who subscribe to Cingular wireless service, enabling them to access personalized Web-based content and all their integrated messages.
- SBC FreedomLink Wi-Fi - the companies will work to further integrate the SBC Yahoo! environment with the SBC Wi-Fi service, including local search information which, for example, would allow customers to get directions to the nearest local florist - even if they are not in their hometown.
- SBC Home Networking - the companies will work to integrate an SBC Yahoo! environment with the home networking gateway which is offered along with SBC Yahoo! DSL service.
- SBC Unified Communications - the companies will work to integrate the current service features to work seamlessly with SBC Yahoo! Mail, further enhancing the "one mailbox" service for all e-mail, wireline and wireless voicemail and faxes. The companies will also work together to develop one consolidated address book, accessible by computer, phone or television.
- SBC and Yahoo! first announced their strategic alliance in November 2001 and launched co-branded DSL and Dial services less than a year later.
