Europe’s largest telecom carrier Orange, has signed up with Wikimedia to use co-branded content which will be accessed by its users on various Wikipedia channels through Orange’s mobile network. Both Orange and Wikipedia share the ad revenue by placing relevant Orange mobile ads on Wikipedia content through web and mobile portals.

Orange has developed mobile and web-based widgets so that customers can access Wikipedia content directly from their Orange mobile or web homepage. In general, mobile phones may open the door for more revenue choices for web 2.0 brands. Users will be targeted through ads on mobiles and exposed to more relevant ads. Orange is aiming to provide the best content for mobile phone users, so Facebook and MySpace applications have been included in their list of partners.

Both partnerships will evolve new services in mobile, Internet and TV. Wikimedia Foundation says, “The deals are aimed at extending to a larger and more diverse global network of partners, supporters, participants and friends”. The partnership will roll out initially in France, UK, Spain and Poland with a plan to extend operations to other European regions later.

Orange previously tied up with Mobile phone giant Nokia resulting in an e-mail service called Nokia messaging. Plans are to launch initially in the UK by July 2009, followed by France and Spain. It's a good time for network operators to work with famous brands in order to increase revenue opportunities related to advertising.

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