Turner in deal with Sri Lanka's Mobitel to deliver CNN mobile news to subscribers

Turner International, the owner of CNN, has tied up with Sri Lankan national mobile service provider, Sri Lanka Telecom Mobitel, to offer its customers access to CNN's latest global news content through one call.

Mobitel customers can watch breaking news and the latest top stories on CNN, on an on-demand basis by dialing 555.

According to Turner, the key advantage of this service is its uninterrupted content delivery when compared to web and WAP-based streaming where delays occur due to content being buffered. Customers can also enjoy the added convenience of replaying previous news stories within the same video portal.

 ''The mobile phone is fast becoming an important platform for the dissemination of information due to its high penetration and efficient reach," says Leisha De Silva Chandrasena, chairperson, Sri Lanka Telecom Mobitel.

"The partnership with CNN International is yet another landmark development for Mobitel following its recent partnership with Google the leading global Internet company.''

Turner says no software or special configurations are required by customers to access the service. For the benefit of 2G phone users in particular, CNN's latest global news can also be accessed via WAP.

According to Siddharth Jain, vice president and deputy general manager, distribution and business operations, South Asia, Turner International India Private Limited, ''Partnering with a leading player like Sri Lanka Telecom Mobitel provides a national footprint for CNN International to reach out to a wide consumer base in Sri Lanka."