RealNetworks plans streaming to mobiles

US streaming media company RealNetworks plans to boost its European presence by teaming up with mobile phone giant Nokia to develop and distribute web media technology for future mobile devices.

It will also work with Chello, Deutsche Telekom and Madge to deploy RealSystem, its latest video streaming technology, over their respective broadband European networks.

As part of the agreement with Nokia, the phone maker will install RealNetworks' RealPlayer technology in its EPOC-based communicators and smart phones. EPOC is an operating system for mobile devices developed by the Symbian alliance, which includes wireless hardware developers Psion, Matsushita, Motorola and Ericsson. The devices featuring the streaming media technology will be available next year.

Len Jordan, RealNetworks' senior vice president for consumer appliances, said websites providing audio and video using its software would not have to reformat their content for wireless devices. "Many of our system components are already suited for mobiles," he said.

He added that the company is seeking to work with other mobile phone developers on similar projects.

According to Nokia, there are about 520 million mobile subscribers worldwide, and the company expects that number to grow to one billion in the next two years. Rival Ericsson predicts there will be one billion mobile users accessing the internet by 2005.