O2 signs World Idol deal

Mobile operator O2 is to provide interactive mobile services for the World Idol pop battle this Christmas.

The show, to be broadcast on Christmas Day, will see Pop Idol winners from around the world go head-to-head. Will Young, winner of the first UK series, represents the UK.

O2 will deliver interactive mobile services such as text voting for the candidates, picture messaging from the show, news alerts and downloads including ring tones.

Last weekend's final show of the second UK series of Pop Idol saw a total of 10.3 million votes cast across telephone, text, interactive TV and the internet.

Just under a quarter of the votes were cast using SMS, with over one million text votes being received within a one-hour period.

"We have pioneered a shift from passive television viewing to a much more interactive experience for millions of viewers," said O2 in a statement.

"What we are now seeing is a real convergence of mobile and television resulting in the extended reach of the nation's favourites shows to anyone with a mobile phone."

Around 16 billion text messages have already been sent in the UK this year, according to O2. Some 76 million personal texts were sent on the day of the Rugby World Cup alone.