T-Mobile - Ringing tunes come to UK mobiles

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/technology/3288999.stm

T-Mobile has become the first network in Europe to let people choose
the sound a caller hears while they wait for their call to be
answered.

Instead of the usual "bring bring", its customers will be able to
select hits from the likes of Kylie or Busted.

A similar service has been a huge hit in South Korea, and is seen as
the next step in personalising mobile phones.

It is predicted this kind of service will be very popular when more
services are launched in Europe by mid-2004.

It is variously called "ring-tone replacement" or a "ring-back tone
service", but T-Mobile have decided to name it "Caller Tunes".

The service, which launched on 4 December, works in the same way as
the one in South Korea - called Coloring - which BBC News Online
reported on last week.

Launched 15 months ago there, Coloring has made SK Telecom $100
million (£59 million), with 35% of subscribers using it.

Through a licensing deal with Universal Music, T-Mobile are able to
offer 100 chart hits, from boy band Busted to Gloria Gaynor.

Mobile ringtone guru Simon Buckingham has predicted that this kind of
service will be "very very popular" because it is another important
way for people to make their mobiles different.

Ringtones have already been a massive hit, with the Mobile Data
Association estimating more than £70m worth of them will be sold in
2003.

"Nearly 70% of our downloads this year were ringtones, highlighting
the strong consumer demand for personalised services," said Nikesh
Arora, T-Mobile's chief marketing man.

"Caller Tunes will take this further. It's simple, fun and here in
time for Christmas."

T-Mobile also has a "sense" of how big the service will be by looking
at how well SK Telecom did with it, said the company.

Anyone with a mobile on T-Mobile's network can sign up to pay a
monthly subscription of £1 to "rent" the service, with each tune
selection costing a further £1.50.

The company have set up a free number to call which provides an
example of what the service sounds like.

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› See More: T-Mobile - Ringing tunes come to UK mobiles

To me, this sounds like a GREAT product idea. So far, ringtones haven't
really taken off in the U.S. like they have in Europe and Asia.

It's just a matter of time, however.


"JMS" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/technology/3288999.stm
>
> T-Mobile has become the first network in Europe to let people choose
> the sound a caller hears while they wait for their call to be
> answered.
>
> Instead of the usual "bring bring", its customers will be able to
> select hits from the likes of Kylie or Busted.
>
> A similar service has been a huge hit in South Korea, and is seen as
> the next step in personalising mobile phones.
>
> It is predicted this kind of service will be very popular when more
> services are launched in Europe by mid-2004.
>
> It is variously called "ring-tone replacement" or a "ring-back tone
> service", but T-Mobile have decided to name it "Caller Tunes".
>
> The service, which launched on 4 December, works in the same way as
> the one in South Korea - called Coloring - which BBC News Online
> reported on last week.
>
> Launched 15 months ago there, Coloring has made SK Telecom $100
> million (£59 million), with 35% of subscribers using it.
>
> Through a licensing deal with Universal Music, T-Mobile are able to
> offer 100 chart hits, from boy band Busted to Gloria Gaynor.
>
> Mobile ringtone guru Simon Buckingham has predicted that this kind of
> service will be "very very popular" because it is another important
> way for people to make their mobiles different.
>
> Ringtones have already been a massive hit, with the Mobile Data
> Association estimating more than £70m worth of them will be sold in
> 2003.
>
> "Nearly 70% of our downloads this year were ringtones, highlighting
> the strong consumer demand for personalised services," said Nikesh
> Arora, T-Mobile's chief marketing man.
>
> "Caller Tunes will take this further. It's simple, fun and here in
> time for Christmas."
>
> T-Mobile also has a "sense" of how big the service will be by looking
> at how well SK Telecom did with it, said the company.
>
> Anyone with a mobile on T-Mobile's network can sign up to pay a
> monthly subscription of £1 to "rent" the service, with each tune
> selection costing a further £1.50.
>
> The company have set up a free number to call which provides an
> example of what the service sounds like.
>
>

On Fri, 5 Dec 2003 11:47:34 -0500, "Shizz In It"
<[email protected]> wrote:

>To me, this sounds like a GREAT product idea. So far, ringtones haven't
>really taken off in the U.S. like they have in Europe and Asia.

I don't know where you've been, but ring tones are a very popular
thing in the US and with the polyphonic tones it's even more popular.
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