WiderThan Powers Verizon Wireless V CAST Music
January 06 2006 - 9:00AM
PR Newswire (US)
WiderMusic(TM) Service Platform Enables Verizon Wireless Customers
to Download Music on Their Phones LAS VEGAS and SEOUL, South Korea,
Jan. 6 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- WiderThan (NASDAQ:WTHN), a leading
global provider of integrated mobile entertainment solutions for
wireless carriers, announced that it has been selected by Verizon
Wireless as an application service provider for Verizon Wireless'
new V CAST Music service. The WiderMusic(TM) Service Platform
(WMSP) enables Verizon Wireless customers to download music
instantly, any time and from anywhere in the V CAST service area.
Leveraging WiderThan's music services, Verizon Wireless becomes the
first and only U.S. service provider to offer a full-function
mobile music service that allows users to download full music
tracks over the air and transfer digital music between their
wireless phones and PCs. V CAST Music is also currently the largest
wireless music service provider in the U.S, offering customers one
million unique songs by spring. Working closely with Verizon
Wireless and the leading music labels, WiderThan's WMSP will host,
deliver and maintain Verizon Wireless' music content. V CAST Music
will be available on January 16, 2006 and will be available
throughout 1,900 Verizon Wireless Communication stores, Circuit
City locations and online at http://www.verizonwireless.com/. Jim
Straight, vice president of wireless Internet and multimedia
services for Verizon Wireless, said, "Our decision to engage
WiderThan as a service provider for V CAST Music was easy, as
WiderThan continues to be a strategic part of our commitment to
stay ahead of wireless trends to meet our customers' needs."
WiderThan has been working with Verizon Wireless since 2001. As a
result of the collaboration between the two companies, Verizon
Wireless customers enjoy a full spectrum of mobile entertainment
solutions, including ringback tones, master ring tones and games.
"As the demand for more comprehensive mobile entertainment services
continues to increase in the U.S., we are committed to working
closely with Verizon Wireless to expand music capabilities, which
are becoming increasingly popular," said Vern Poyner, executive
vice president and CEO, WiderThan Americas. "The WiderMusic Service
Platform is a comprehensive solution that provides the backbone of
V CAST Music and its full function capabilities." About WiderThan
WiderThan is a leading provider of integrated mobile entertainment
solutions for wireless carriers. Our applications, content and
services enable wireless carriers to provide a broad range of
mobile entertainment, such as ringback tones, music-on-demand,
mobile games, ringtones, messaging and information services, to
their subscribers. WiderThan currently provides mobile
entertainment solutions to 42 wireless carriers in 17 countries,
including SK Telecom in Korea, Cingular Wireless, Sprint Nextel,
T-Mobile USA and Verizon Wireless in the United States, Bharti
Airtel in India and Globe Telecom in the Philippines. About Verizon
Wireless Verizon Wireless owns and operates the nation's most
reliable wireless network, serving 49.3 million voice and data
customers. Headquartered in Bedminster, N.J., Verizon Wireless is a
joint venture of Verizon Communications (NYSE:VZ) and Vodafone
(NYSE:VOD)(LSE:VOD). Find more information on the Web at
http://www.verizonwireless.com/. To preview and request
broadcast-quality video footage and high-resolution stills of
Verizon Wireless operations, log on to the Verizon Wireless
Multimedia Library at http://www.verizonwireless.com/multimedia.
DATASOURCE: WiderThan; Verizon Wireless CONTACT: Jeffrey Nelson of
Verizon Wireless, +1-908-306-4824, ; or Maya Lee of
Fleishman-Hillard, +1-212-453-2317, , for WiderThan Web site:
http://www.widerthan.com/ http://www.verizonwireless.com/
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