With the global customer base for Napster Mobile expanding by millions in the first quarter, Ericsson (NASDQ: ERIC) and Napster (NASDAQ: NAPS) continue to lead the way in meeting demand for and delivering a superior mobile music experience worldwide.
Announced just last week, AT&T plans to make Napster Mobile available to more than 12 million additional customers beginning this summer. With recent Napster Mobile launches through partnerships with world class mobile carriers in the United Kingdom, Italy and Chile, more than 140 million subscribers in seven countries are now able to use the mobile music service. Napster Mobile users are supported by an ecosystem that today includes nearly 400 mobile devices.
"Our first quarter product launches with O2 UK, Telecom Italia and Entel -- leading carriers in three global markets -- demonstrate that demand for Napster Mobile is rapidly growing throughout the world," said Napster President Brad Duea. "Napster Mobile is the premier mobile music service in the world. It's simple, affordable and offers customers the largest mobile music catalog."
Introduced in 2006 by Napster and Ericsson, Napster Mobile is one of the fastest growing mobile music platforms. This premium music service offers an array of features and personalized content, including ringtones, artist images, wallpaper and access to Napster Mobile's catalog of more than 5 million songs. Napster Mobile also offers the decided advantage of dual-delivery, a unique feature that provides users the convenience of downloading songs directly to their phones with a copy of the song available to download on their PCs.
"Ericsson's strategy of partnering with leading brands like Napster, coupled with the hosting business model and market leading service delivery platform, is being validated by marquee customer wins in North America and around the world," said Angel Ruiz, President and CEO, Ericsson North America. "More and more operators are realizing the advantages of quickly launching new, innovative and branded services to their customers. Such services help drive revenue and increase customer loyalty. Mobile Multimedia is playing a key role in shaping contemporary lifestyle and Ericsson is at the forefront of driving such innovation and enabling new experiences."
Ericsson is the world's leading provider of technology and services to telecom operators. The market leader in 2G and 3G mobile technologies, Ericsson supplies communications services and manages networks that serve more than 185 million subscribers. The company's portfolio comprises mobile and fixed network infrastructure, and broadband and multimedia solutions for operators, enterprises and developers. The Sony Ericsson joint venture provides consumers with feature-rich personal mobile devices.
Ericsson is advancing its vision of 'communication for all' through innovation, technology, and sustainable business solutions. Working in 175 countries, more than 70,000 employees generated revenue of USD 27.9 billion (SEK 188 billion) in 2007. Founded in 1876 and headquartered in Stockholm, Sweden, Ericsson is listed on the Stockholm, London and NASDAQ stock exchanges.
For more information, visit www.ericsson.com or www.ericsson.mobi.
*Note to editors: For information about Napster Mobile partnerships announced during Q1 2008, please see the following announcements:
Ericsson brings Napster Mobile service to Telecom Italia Mobile (TIM) http://www.ericsson.com/ericsson/press/releases/20080128-1185659.shtml
Ericsson sign first contract for Napster Mobile service in Latin America with Entel PCS in Chile http://www.ericsson.com/ericsson/press/releases/20080204-1187769.shtml
Ericsson brings Napster Mobile for O2 UK http://www.ericsson.com/ericsson/press/releases/20080314-1201178.shtml
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION, PLEASE CONTACT
Ericsson Media Relations
Phone: +46 8 719 69 92
E-mail: press.relations@ericsson.com
Napster Media Relations
Jeff Fox
The Blueshirt Group, for Napster
415-828-8298
jeff@blueshirtgroup.com
About Napster
Napster, the pioneer of digital music, offers the ultimate in interactive music experiences, creating better ways to discover, share, acquire and enjoy music - anytime, anywhere. The company's offerings include "Napster" (www.Napster.com) - the most popular, on-demand music subscription service in the world; "Freenapster" (www.freenapster.com), a unique Web experience offering free, on-demand music legally in the U.S.; and "Napster Mobile," one of the industry's fastest growing mobile music platforms, providing the premier mobile music experience for customers in ten global markets. Headquartered in Los Angeles, Napster's services are available in markets across North America, Europe and Japan.
About Ericsson's Managed Services offering
Ericsson has the telecom industry's most comprehensive managed services offering. It ranges from designing, building, operating and managing day-to-day operations of a customer's network, including end-user services and business support systems, to hosting service applications and content, as well as providing network coverage and capacity on demand. As the undisputed leader in managed services, Ericsson has officially announced more than 100 contracts for managed services with operators worldwide since 2002. In all current managed services contracts, excluding hosting, Ericsson is managing networks that together serve more than 185 million subscribers worldwide.
