Which is fine, I suppose, and explains why the relationship is billed as strategic (meaning nobody gets any money,,, yet!).

According to Deutsche Telekom’s CEO René Obermann, Twitter is just a jolly good thing. DT uses it for its customer care and there is a natural synergy going on. “Twitter connects. Just as we do," he says.

The partnership will initally involve DT preloading Twitter on its devices and playing up the relationship to make itself forward looking and relevant. For Twitter, such handset promotion will help its take-up in Germany, so the deal starts to makes sense from its point of view too.

But DT seems to have its sights set on a bigger prize - the co-development of new or perhaps premium services on Twitter.

“In collaboration with Deutsche Telekom, Twitter will create a unique experience for Deutsche Telekom devices. This experience will include a way for people to keep up with Twitter right from their homescreen, and Deutsche Telekom will make it available on selected Android smartphones starting next year. Deutsche Telekom customers will have instant access to what’s happening in the world in real time, right out-of-the-box.”

Twitter will also use Deutsche Telekom, where appropriate, for marketing and advertising.