Cutting Tune is the first service available that will allow subscribers to
make both custom Ringback Tones and Ringtones
SAN FRANCISCO, Sept. 10 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Today from CTIA
Wireless I.T. and Entertainment 2008, RealNetworks(R) (Nasdaq: RNWK), Inc.
the digital entertainment services company, announced the global
availability of Cutting Tune for mobile operators. Cutting Tune --
available for deployment in Q209 to mobile operators as an ASP service --
will enable mobile subscribers to select any portion of songs made
available by content partners for their Ringtone (RT) or Ringback Tone
(RBT), and is the first in the market to offer this functionality for
Ringback Tones.
Cutting Tune provides a new way for mobile subscribers to personalize
their mobile experience by selecting tracks from their mobile operator's
music service and using their PC to turn those tracks into a custom RT or
RBT. Subscribers can also "gift" their newly created RTs and RBTs to
friends, further increasing the viral nature of RBT and revenue generating
opportunities for mobile operators.
"Our partners continue to see strong demand for mobile services that
allow subscribers to express their individuality," said Vern Poyner, senior
vice president, TPS Americas & Global Operations for RealNetworks. "Cutting
Tune provides an opportunity for mobile operators to capitalize on this
demand and increase cross-selling opportunities by offering the ability to
customize purchased tracks into unique RTs and -- for the first time --
RBTs, all through the carrier network."
Cutting Tune is a feature that can be added to a mobile operator's
existing Real-powered music-on-demand, RT or RBT service. Once the operator
has added the feature and secured necessary content licensing, its
subscribers can use their PC to select certain songs from the online music
service, choose any part of that song within the maximum length determined
by the operator, and then download it over-the-air to the handset for a RT
and/or designate it as an RBT, if licensed for such use by the content
partners. Subscribers can add effects, like fade in/out, and can set a
custom interval before the RT/RBT is repeated. The custom RBT will then
work like a standard RBT, providing subscribers the ability to assign it to
certain times of the day, or particular callers.
A pioneer in the wireless space, RealNetworks was the world's first RBT
service provider with SK Telecom in May 2002, and subsequently the first US
RBT service provider with Verizon Wireless in November 2004. Today, Real
operates RBT services for more mobile subscribers than any other provider
in the world. With more than 31.25 million active RBT subscribers worldwide
and global adoption rates of 10.7%, the company continues to innovate and
differentiate its RBT offerings.
Real's services are currently available through 88 different carriers
in 44 countries worldwide, making them available to 884.3 million
subscribers. Real offers mobile operators a comprehensive selection of
mobile services including Music-On-Demand, Video-On-Demand, mobile games,
personalization features such as RTs, RBTs and Multimedia Ringback
Services, and messaging services.
RNWK-G
ABOUT REALNETWORKS
RealNetworks, Inc. delivers digital entertainment services to consumers
via PC, portable music player, home entertainment system or mobile phone.
Real created the streaming media category in 1995 and has continued to lead
the market with pioneering products and services, including: RealPlayer(R),
the first mainstream media player to enable one-click downloading and
recording of Internet video; the award-winning Rhapsody(R) digital music
service, which delivers more than 1 billion songs per year; RealArcade(R),
one of the largest casual games destinations on the Web; and a variety of
mobile entertainment services, such as ringback tones, offered to consumers
through leading wireless carriers around the world. RealNetworks' corporate
information is located at http://www.realnetworks.com/company.
RealNetworks, RealArcade, Rhapsody, RealPlayer and the Real logo are
trademarks or registered trademarks of RealNetworks, Inc. or its
subsidiaries. All other trademarks, names of actual companies and products
mentioned herein are the property of their respective owners.
SOURCE RealNetworks, Inc.
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Related links:
http://www.realnetworks.com
CONTACT:
Jennifer Humiston of SHIFT Communications,
+1-617-779-1812, jhumiston@shiftcomm.com, for RealNetworks, Inc.;
or Tiffany Dunning of RealNetworks, Inc., +1-206-892-6733,
tdunning@real.com
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