AOL wants to reach more of the millions of Europeans who access the Internet with mobile phones. The deal would put AOL mobile Internet services on BT's Genie mobile portal in the U.K. and Germany.
Genie is the second-largest mobile portal in the U.K., and one of the largest in Europe.
AOL Mobile services would be available through Genie portals in the U.K. and Germany, and also through the Viag Interkom portals Loop and Genion. The deal would extend to other regions as Genie expands in Europe and Asia. Until the deal was announced, AOL was alone among major European ISPs in its lack of a relationship with a major telecommunications company. The alliance is seen as crucial in building a European audience for AOL's mobile services. AOL has small mobile portals in the U.K. and France, and one undergoing beta testing in Germany.