Microsoft and Telefonica have teamed up to create new possibilities for application development across PC, TV, and mobile appliances, which will be powered by Telefonica’s new BlueVia developer platform.

The BlueVia software development kit (SDK) for .NET offers an array of developer tools, including the Microsoft .NET Framework, Microsoft Silverlight and Microsoft Visual Studio 2010, specifically enhanced for the design and creation of apps that integrate BlueVia APIs, such as short message service (SMS), advertising and user contextual information, said Microsoft.

The SDK includes Windows Azure, Microsoft’s open cloud platform, for the creation of Internet-scale apps with no initial investment in infrastructure required by developers.

Microsoft said that the collaboration project combines telco functionality from Telefonica with its experience in Web development and the cloud, to help drive innovation in apps and services in a simple and frictionless way.

Telefonica global new services director Vivek Dev said BlueVia is looking to revolutionise the world of communications by opening up Telefonica’s network capabilities to the world’s largest established community of software developers familiar with .NET Framework.

"Our partnership with Microsoft will accelerate BlueVia’s reach and extend our presence beyond mobile into PC, TV and gaming platforms," Dev said.

"Combining our assets will create applications that bring valuable entertainment and productivity to 280 million Telefonica customers worldwide."