Customers of the Bell Mobility network in Canada will soon be able to message MSN Messenger users via their cell phone, the company said yesterday.

The service, which gives users access to Emoticons and their MSN Messenger contact list, is available on selected handsets for $3 per month. The potential for this service seems great as the company said there are more than 11.5 million Canadians are using the MSN Messenger service on an average of 378 minutes each month.

"We are answering a rapidly growing need for Canadians who want to communicate anytime, anywhere. People are going to love the fact that the MSN Messenger they enjoy at home and at work is now available on their mobile phones," said David Inns, Vice-President, Consumer Marketing, Bell Mobility.

Bell is initially launching four instant message-ready handsets with more to follow this year. The messaging application is available for download directly from enabled handsets or from the Bell website.