Melodeo and Cingular today announced a cooperative arrangement, making Melodeo Mobilcast available to Cingular customers for $4.99/month.

The two companies tout the service as the first “seamless Web to mobile podcasting service,” allowing customers to sync podcast playlists back and forth from the Melodeo Web site to the phone. It also lets people start listening to a podcast or radio program on either the PC or a mobile phone, stop anywhere and then pick up at the same point you left off on the other device.

Initially, the Mobilcast service will work on 15 compatible Cingular handsets; additional phones will be added.

Mobilcast allows customers to search and choose from an assortment of thousands of podcasts on the mobile phone (stream or download). The service offers continuously updated podcast episodes and radio shows from popular sources such as NPR, CNN and ESPN, as well as thousands of independent podcasts from all over the world.

Mobilcast is currently available on more than 75 popular handset models on the Java J2ME and BREW platforms. A simple interface allows listeners to browse categories or search programs with no wait time.

Podcasts are streamed or downloaded and can be added to the “My Favorites” channel with one click. Playlists can be created on the Web and will automatically show up on the phone with no downloading or waiting

The Cingular announcement comes on the heels of a similar agreement, announced in August, between Melodeo and Alltel Wireless, called Axcess Mobilcast. Melodeo reports that it will announce deals in the coming month with international wireless operators that will extend the reach of Mobilcast to more than 75 million wireless customers across North America, Europe, Asia and Australia.