Free mobile social messaging service provider Trutap has expanded its mobile IM service by partnering with Facebook and Google.

Trutap claims that it is now bringing its global consumer base more IM services than any other mobile application in the world. From today, Trutappers can now enjoy using Facebook Chat, Google Talk, Rediff Bol and Jabber services, along with the existing MSN, Yahoo, AIM and ICQ messenger products wherever they are in the world from their mobile phone.

"Trutap's mobile IM service has been running across the world for the past 11 months with MSN, Yahoo, AIM and ICQ, and we desire to have one single Java application that gives the user clear choice over what IM service they want to use," said Carl Uminski, chief technology officer of Trutap, London.

"Therefore we have developed a platform to allow us to scale to pretty much the entire world's IM services, so when you come to Trutap to consume content, update your blog, group chat with friends, find new friends and post photos, you can rest assured that we will also have the IM service that you desire to communicate with your community, or multiple communities on," he said.

The additional IM services are already available within consumers' current application.

For Trutap's 250,000 consumers, it means there's no need to upgrade their application to find their favorite IM service.

Trutappers currently have 17 IM services to choose from, with more services launching soon.

More IM services will be added to the service over the coming weeks, including MySpace, Gadu-Gadu, LiveJournal IM, Bonjour, Groupwise, IRC, XMPP, Sametime and Zephyr.

Trutap is currently available throughout the whole world running on any carrier that allows applications to run openly and has a handset that supports Java.

This currently equates to thousands of handsets and something in the region of 800 operators globally.

"The U.S. is a little different, many handsets do not run Java and those that do are locked down," Mr. Uminski said. "We currently have a number of users in North America who are using our application on AT&T and T-Mobile where their handsets allow them to."

Trutap is a free mobile social networking service that combines all the elements of a young person's social life into one application.

With Trutap, consumers can connect and converse with friends and family through instant messenger, group messaging, profiles, blogging and photo sharing via their mobile device.

The Trutap service launched globally in November 2007, after being selected as a finalist at TechCrunch40.

Trutap recently announced the launch of Hornet, its content platform that is used for publishers to communicate with Trutap consumers and to let consumers consume everything from real-time news to games.

"This platform allows us to plug in advertising to these messages, and some are relevant to the content and some are relevant to the elements of a consumer's profile," Mr. Uminski said.

"Right now we're focusing on games and experimenting with some of the larger mobile advertising businesses, however we are in discussions with many of the larger brands and publishers who are looking for greater exposure in the emerging markets which is our core focus right now," he said.

Trutap is getting the word out about this mobile IM offering using various marketing tactics.

"Apart from communicating with our existing user base who are predominately in the emerging markets in India and Indonesia via our messaging service, we will also be optimizing our advertising with the usual subjects -- GetJar, Admob, Buzz City et al -- as well as seeding many mobile forums," Mr. Uminski said.

"We are lucky on two fronts: Our users do not need to upgrade to use the IM, since it's there already, and our application also has a viral element built into it, letting users invite their mates really quickly," he said.