So, AOL is going to be offering mobile services, eh? I don’t know about you, but I am beginning to feel like services end of things should be left to a company that has a track record in the mobile sector. Being that AOL still has a lot of work to do in the desktop market, I’d suggest looking at this if I was them and perhaps rethink this whole idea.

America Online Inc. (AOL) plans to announce Monday a series of mobile services aimed at increasing the AOL functionality and content users can access from their mobile devices.

The services are being made available to carriers, which will in turn decide which services they offer, how they package them and how they price them, AOL is expected to announce at the Cellular Telecommunications & Internet Association Wireless 2005 show in New Orleans.

Already, AOL has struck deals with some major carriers that have concrete plans to offer their subscribers some of the services. These include Cingular Wireless LLC/AT&T Wireless, Verizon Communications Inc. and Nextel, which is in the process of merging with Sprint Corp. The services are also being offered to T-Mobile USA Inc. and other smaller carriers. For now, the services are being offered to U.S. carriers only.

Extending AOL mobile services and content to members of its proprietary service and to non-members as well is fundamental, considering that mobile devices have become so ubiquitous and are increasingly able to support advanced Internet functionality, said Himesh Bhise, vice president and general manager of AOL Mobile.

“People have their (mobile) phones on for 15 or 16 hours a day. They spend far more time with their (mobile) phones than in front of their desktop PCs. So it’s important for us that they take the AOL experience with them on the go,” Bhise said.