—SK Telecom (NYSE: SKM) strategic alliance: SK Telecom and RealNetworks have deepened their strategic relationship in mobile entertainment services. Real, which has been working with SK since 2001 (through their acquisition of Widerthan), will extend its existing contracts with the mobile operator, and begin providing new services until 2011. New services include: MelOn music-on-demand, ColoRing Ringback Tones, and others. Vern Poyner, RealNetworks SVP, said the partnership includes helping SK Telecom roll out services outside Korea. “They are motivated. They tried Helio, and now they are getting into services. Music would be a good example.” Release.

—China Mobile deployments: RealNetworks said Sichuan Telecom, a subsidiary of China Telecom, has deployed a Mobile Information Push Portal Service to its five million subscribers, allowing them to access news, entertainment and more on lower-end handsets using SMS and MMS. Poyner said the significance of this deployment is that it is with China Telecom directly and not through a third-party, which is how most business is done in China. Release.

—Music services in Europe: Real will now roll out its music on demand services through Vodafone (NYSE: VOD) in nine countries. The service allows for full-track music to be sold in an la carte, bundled or all-you-can-eat plans. Among the countries are United Kingdom, Ireland, Portugal, Germany, Italy, Greece, The Netherlands, Romania and Spain. Through a new mobile music client, Real said it has seen its downloads-per-active-user in Europe increase by 28 percent in Q4 2008, compared to Q4 2007. Release.

Full coverage at our Mobile World Congress channel