China Mobile Communications Corp, the larger of the country's two mobile operators, has launched an instant messaging (IM) service trial with its own brand.

The move could be a blow for IM providers such as Microsoft's MSN division and China's Tencent, which have been seeking to extend their PC-based IM services to mobile phones.

A spokesman with China Mobile told China Daily that the firm has yet to set a timetable for a formal launch but "it could come soon."

Branded as Femoo, China Mobile's IM tool enables handset users to chat with other Femoo subscribers, either with a mobile phone or a PC, in an interface roughly the same as MSN messenger and Tencent's QQ.

A website affiliated with Beijing Mobile, www.m161.com.cn, is offering downloads of the Femoo software for both mobile phones and PCs.

According to the website, a Femoo user will be charged 5 yuan (62 US cents) per month.

China Mobile has previously signed contracts with wireless service providers (SPs) including Tencent, Sina Corp and Tom Online, enabling the firm to provide various IM services on mobile phones.

But China Mobile said late last month it would not add any new IM services provided by SPs to its mobile Internet networks from June 1.

The China Mobile spokesman said that after December 31 it would end its partnerships with all SPs providing the IM services.

The Internet-mobile crossover business will build on the runaway success of short messaging service (SMS) and IM in China.

In the first quarter of this year, 98.8 billion SMS messages were sent in China, up 47 per cent year on year.

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