RAWTENSTALL communication firm 2ergo is to see its products used in California and Arizona after signing a new deal.

The firm, which provides services using mobile phone technology, such as news and entertainment services on text message, has signed a distribution partnership with Belo Corp, one of America's largest media companies.

2ergo will now provide services including text alerts, themed ringtones and text voting through newspapers, television and web sites in California and Arizona.

Neale Graham, joint chief executive officer of 2ergo, said: "We are constantly looking for new markets and innovative areas where our convergent mobile technology can make a difference. We are very excited to be working closely with Belo's media companies and we firmly believe their audiences will receive great enjoyment and benefit from these services."

Among the services which will be operated by 2ergo will be a text news and weather alert service for readers of the Press Enterprise newspaper in southern California and listeners of KTVK radio station in Phoenix, Arizona.

Phoenix television station KASW-TV will also provide television themed ringtones including Friends and The Simpsons through 2ergo.