Yahoo, Helio partner on mobile services

Mobile service provider Helio aims to offer Yahoo services such as e-mail, news, sports, search and messaging.

Dawn Kawamoto Former Staff writer, CNET News

Dawn Kawamoto covered enterprise security and financial news relating to technology for CNET News.

Dawn Kawamoto

April 13, 2006 10:47 a.m. PT

A correction was made to this story. Read below for details.

Helio announced Thursday that it is partnering with Yahoo in a move to offer services ranging from search to instant messaging when it debuts its mobile service in the spring.

Helio, a joint-venture of SK Telecom and EarthLink, aims to give its members access to Yahoo services such as e-mail, news, sports, search and messaging.

Video: Bringing Korean innovation to backward America
Helio CEO Sky Dayton shows off the company's mobile service.

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The Helio deal is among the latest Yahoo has struck with a mobile service provider. The Internet giant has similar arrangements with Cingular and Sprint.

"Helio's innovative service platform and 3G (third generation) service allows our users to keep connected in new, unique ways," Marco Boerries, Yahoo's Connected Life senior vice president, said in a statement.

Helio is trying to bring the phone market of South Korea, where network services are more advanced and young subscribers tend to spend more money on multimedia features, to the United States. It will target the youth market in the U.S.

Correction: This story incorrectly stated the region for Helio's target market. Helio is targeting its mobile service at consumers in the United States.