LiveWire Brings Alive 400,000 Virgin Mobile Ringback Tones in 3 Months

By Editor Wireless and Mobile News on February 20, 2008 12:01 PM

Virgin Mobile USA and partner LiveWire Mobile (re ringing up lots of buzz from customers eager to personalize their cell phones with Ringback Tones. Over five million Virgin Mobile customers currently have access to more than 10,000 songs within LiveWire Mobile’s Ringback Service.

Ringback Tones, growing in popularity, allow a wireless customer to set a song or other tone for an incoming caller to hear instead of the typical ringing sound. The number of U.S. ringback subscribers tripled last year, based on industry research. More than 100,000 Virgin Mobile customers subscribe to the Ringback service and average two Ringbacks per customer, illustrating the value of both music and personalization to this audience.

“We always look to provide our customers with rich content and choice, allowing them to create their own mobile identities,” said Wes Radez, director of mobile content for Virgin Mobile USA. “More and more consumers are looking for ways to add their own style into the many ways they communicate, and Ringback Tones are something our customers appreciate.”

Most popular among Virgin Mobile customers are Ringback Tones in the hip-hop and R&B categories. Some of the top Ringback Tone titles selected by Virgin Mobile customers are: “Shawty Is A 10” (The Dream); “Bed” (J. Holiday); “Heaven Sent” (Keyshia Cole); “Crank That - Tell ‘Em/Ne-Yo Chorus (Soulja Boy); and “Apologize,” (by OneRepublic featuring Timbaland).

The wide variety of content within the Ringback Tone catalog provides customers with a choice of genres from several music content providers, including a well-rounded collection of current hits and classics from UMG, timeless icons from EMI, and indie picks from Moderati. Moderati also offers such unique options as the “Rejection Hotline” — where a caller hears a recorded voice message letting them know they have been “rejected” by the person they were attempting to call. This Tone is often used when a phone number is given out to an unwanted prospective date.

“Building on Virgin Mobile’s success in the Ringtone market, LiveWire Mobile is pleased to be providing their Ringback services,” said Joel Hughes, president, LiveWire Mobile. “Our objective of bringing managed personalized services, like Ringbacks, to market is a natural fit for Virgin Mobile’s customers and empowers operators with new subscription and content revenue opportunities.”

Ringback Tones can be used on any Virgin Mobile USA phone, including the Super Slice and new Wild Card, and can be purchased and set through either http://www.virginmobileusa.com or directly on the handset via VirginXL. Customers can set certain Ringback Tones for specific callers, or select a range that plays randomly.