Sports Tonight, TEN’s premier daily sports news program, is offering viewers the chance to receive the latest news and results direct to their mobile phone. ST Mobile provides fans of AFL, NRL and Rugby Union up-to-the-minute match results as well as breaking news on the players and their teams via SMS. Whether on the train, at the park, or in the pub, ST Mobile customers can now keep up to date on all the news and scores.

ST Mobile uses premium SMS technology, allowing viewers to sign up directly from their mobile phone by texting SUBSCRIBE to 1887636 and following the prompts. News updates and match scores are compiled by Australian Associated Press (AAP) as soon as the events happen and automatically sent to subscribers via m.Net Corporation’s SMS gateway. Subscribers receive all match results straight after full time, as well as breaking news stories throughout the week.

Kel Robards, TEN’s general manager, news and public affairs, said: “We’re very excited to offer an instant sports news service of this kind. Dedicated fans can now keep on top of the latest news and match results, even when they’re on the road.

“ST Mobile extends the Sports Tonight brand beyond the television, to people who love sport but can’t always get to a TV. Using this type of SMS technology also fits perfectly with our technologically savvy demographic.”

m.Net chief executive, Horden Wiltshire complemented Network Ten on its preparedness to innovate in this area. “m.Net is very pleased to be involved in the development and delivery of this product. ST Mobile is a pioneering service, among the very first in Australia to offer a carrier-independent SMS subscription service that is billed straight to the subscriber’s mobile phone account.”

“The ST Mobile is a groundbreaking service for AAP”, said Elmar Platzer, AAP new media business manager. “It is the first service of its kind to fully leverage our core competency as a real time news provider. “

Available since 21 April, ST Mobile costs $3.95 a week for each sport subscribed. This one weekly charge covers all match results and news alerts for the selected code and will automatically renew each week unless a return message is sent to end the subscription. An initial set-up cost of up to $1.10 per sport is also charged to first time users.

ST Mobile is presently available to all Telstra, Optus and Vodafone customers. Discussions are continuing with other mobile phone companies to provide access to all users, irrespective of their choice of phone company.