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AT&T Wireless Debuts First-Ever Mobile Music Store in the U.S.
Service Turns the Mobile Phone Into a 'Remote Control' for PC Downloads Of
Digital Music Tracks
SEATTLE, Oct. 5 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Building on the success of the
company's Music ID service, AT&T Wireless (NYSE:AWE) today announced the
premier of the mMode(TM) Music Store, making the entire music discovery,
sampling, and purchase process mobile for the first time in U.S. history. With
the AT&T Wireless mMode(TM) Music Store, customers can discover, browse, listen
to(*) and purchase digital music tracks from a library of approximately 750,000
songs -- all right from the handset. Built in cooperation with Loudeye and
Microsoft, the mobile music store is seamlessly integrated with the PC, so
digital music tracks are downloaded to users' Windows PCs and billed
automatically to their monthly AT&T Wireless statement or credit card.
(Photo: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20041005/NYTU015 )
For years, AT&T Wireless' mMode service has informed and entertained customers
with some of the best-in-class applications available, from news and sports to
gaming and dating. Today, the company turns up the volume on mobile music and
significantly expands the functionality of the mobile phone to meet the
insatiable demand for digital music. By tying to the company's popular Music
ID service, when customers receive a text message with the name and artist of a
song they've discovered while mobile, they can now click on a link to go
straight to the AT&T Wireless mMode Music Store to buy that digital music
track.
"When it comes to digital music, consumers don't want to be tied to their PC;
they want their music experience to be mobile," said Sam Hall, vice president
of mMode services for AT&T Wireless. "Now, consumers no longer have to
scribble down the names of songs they've discovered and wait until they get
home to download them onto their computers. The convenience and immediacy of
our mobile digital music store lets users remotely explore and buy digital
music while on the move."
As the market matures, the unique aspects of the music store's wireless
distribution platform will allow for expanded music service offerings, as
additional online music stores "go wireless" and handsets incorporate direct-
to-device song downloads capabilities in the months ahead.
"For years, many companies have been promising to liberate music from the PC to
give consumers ways to purchase virtually anytime, anywhere. The new AT&T
Wireless mMode Music Store makes this a reality and makes it a snap to buy
songs -- all purchases can go straight on your phone bill or credit card," said
Ted Cohen, senior vice president, EMI Music Digital Development and
Distribution. "The mobile platform is an important new marketing and
distribution channel for our artists. Now, as soon as fans hear music they
like, they can acquire it instantly using their phones and access it easily on
their PCs."
The AT&T Wireless Music Store is powered by Loudeye Corp. (NASDAQ:LOUD), a
leader in business to business digital media solutions, built using Microsoft
Windows Media(R) Audio 9 (WMA) and Windows Media Digital Rights Management
(DRM). Loudeye provides a complete, branded digital music distribution
solution, including an integrated online and mobile digital media storefront,
scalable digital media application platform, and a suite of turnkey services.
"We are thrilled to be an instrumental part of the first mobile digital music
store in the country, together with leading companies such as AT&T Wireless and
Loudeye," said Maria Martinez, corporate vice president of the Communications
Sector at Microsoft. "The integrated music scenarios that AT&T Wireless is
bringing to market deliver a more complete consumer experience and are the
perfect illustration for the range of capabilities Windows Media 9 Series
enables."
"The AT&T Wireless mMode Music Store demonstrates how digital media services
can provide substantial value to end user experiences across a wide range of
devices," said Jeff Cavins, Loudeye's president and chief executive officer.
"The launch of the AT&T Wireless mMode Music Store is a significant step
forward for the mobile music industry, and we look forward to working together
in the future to build upon this foundation and continue to push the lines of
innovation in the wireless music market."
Michael Nash, Senior Vice President, Internet Strategy and Business Development
at Warner Music Group said: "We are excited about this important evolution of
mobile music, enabling consumers to move beyond simply personalizing their
handsets with ring tones, but also to acquiring full- length songs to their PCs
through AT&T Wireless' mMode Music Store. This is a clear indication that the
wireless space is fast becoming a diverse and significant new marketplace for
our labels and artists."
How the mMode Music Store Works
AT&T Wireless subscribers access the mMode Music Store through mMode on their
handset or online at http://www.attwireless.com/music. Subscribers can search
and browse the available music catalog by genre, artist, or song. When a track
is selected, PC users or users with compatible handsets may then listen to a
30-second song sample and/or purchase that track, all with just a few clicks
from their wireless phone.
Once a song or album has been purchased, subscribers then visit the AT&T
Wireless mMode Music Store online to download the track to their computers.
Users may then burn that track to a CD, or move it to any of the more than 70
portable devices supporting Windows Media.
Key features of the AT&T Wireless mMode Music Store include:
-- Seamless integration - offers seamless integration between the
wireless phone and PC
-- Unique functionality and billing mechanism - users can search,
discover, preview and buy digital music, download tracks directly to
their PCs, and bill purchases automatically to their monthly wireless
statement or credit card
-- Sample tracks before buying - customers can listen to approximately
750,000 30-second clips on select AT&T Wireless phones, including
Nokia models 6620, 3650, 3620, and N Gage, and Motorola models MPX200.
-- Mobile wish list - lets users save song titles they like to their
phone and check them out online at a later time
-- Broad choices - digital tracks are downloaded to a Windows PC and can
be transferred to more than 70 compatible devices for playback,
including phones and digital music players
-- "Send to a Friend" - users can share information about artists with
other wireless subscribers from their handsets
-- Celebrity play lists - users can check out music recommendations from
their favorite celebrities
Pricing and Availability
The AT&T Wireless mMode Music Store is available to all AT&T Wireless
subscribers and is open for business at http://www.attwireless.com/music. AT&T
Wireless customers on the company's GSM(TM)/GPRS service may access the Music
Store via their compatible handsets or the Web.
Individual full-song downloads cost $.99 each. Entire albums are generally
competitively priced as low as $9.99. Standard mMode charges also apply. For
more information about the AT&T Wireless mMode Music Store or mMode, visit
http://www.attwireless.com/mMode.
(*) Customers must have a compatible phone to listen to streaming audio
clips.
About AT&T Wireless
AT&T Wireless (NYSE:AWE) is the second-largest wireless carrier, based on
revenues, in the United States. With 21.737 million subscribers as of June 30,
2004, and revenues of more than $16.9 billion over the past four quarters, AT&T
Wireless delivers advanced high-quality mobile wireless communications
services, voice and data, to businesses and consumers, in the U.S. and
internationally.
Forward Looking Statements
This press release contains "forward-looking statements' which are based on
management's beliefs as well as on a number of assumptions concerning future
events made by management with information that is currently available to
management. Forward-looking statements may include, without limitation,
management's expectations regarding: our future financial and operating
performance and financial condition, including the company's outlook for the
fiscal year 2004 and subsequent periods; the outcome of our pending transaction
with Cingular; subscriber growth; industry conditions; the strength of our
balance sheet; our liquidity and needs for additional financing; and our
ability to increase revenue, margins and operating free cash flow.
Readers are cautioned not to put undue reliance on such forward-looking
statements, which are not a guarantee of performance and are subject to a
number of uncertainties and other factors, many of which are outside AT&T
Wireless' control, that could cause actual results to differ materially from
such statements. Without limitation these factors include: the risks associated
with the implementation of our technology migration strategy, uncertainty
concerning the effects of our pending transaction with Cingular, our ability to
continue to reduce costs and increase the efficiency of our distribution
channels, the potential competitive impacts of industry consolidation or
alternative technologies, potential impacts on revenue and ARPU from
competitive pricing and slowing penetration in the wireless industry, the
effects of vigorous competition in the markets in which we operate, the risk of
decreased consumer spending due to softening economic conditions, acts of
terrorism, and consumer response to new service offerings. For a more detailed
description of the factors that could cause such a difference, please see AT&T
Wireless' filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission, including the
information under the heading "Additional Factors That May Affect Our Business,
Future Operating Results and Financial Condition" and "Forward Looking
Statements" in its quarterly report on Form 10-Q filed on August 6, 2004.
About Loudeye Corp.
Loudeye is a worldwide leader in business-to-business digital media solutions
and the outsourcing provider of choice for companies looking to maximize the
return on their digital media investment. Loudeye combines innovative products
and services with the world's largest music archive and the industry's leading
digital media infrastructure enabling partners to rapidly and cost effectively
launch complete, customized digital media stores and services. For more
information, visit http://www.loudeye.com/.
Contacts:
AT&T Wireless - Danielle Perry (201) 576-7707 or
Loudeye - Karen DeMarco (323) 933-3399 or
http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20041005/NYTU015
DATASOURCE: AT&T Wireless
CONTACT: Danielle Perry of AT&T Wireless, +1-201-576-7707 or
; or Karen DeMarco, +1-323-933-3399, or
, for Loudeye Corp.
Web site: http://www.attws.com/
http://www.loudeye.com/
http://www.attwireless.com/music
http://www.attwireless.com/mMode