Vodafone Portugal Selects RealNetworks To Upgrade Its Ringback Tone Business
Provides its customers with a more personalized mobile experience
LISBON, Portugal, Nov. 3, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- RealNetworks, Inc. (NASDAQ: RNWK), the inventor of ringback tones, today announced it has been selected by mobile telecommunications company Vodafone Portugal to offer a fully managed ringback tone service to its five million subscribers. The partnership enables Vodafone Portugal to provide its customers with a customized ringback tone experience powered by RealNetworks' platform. RealNetworks® will become the single ringback tone provider in Portugal as Vodafone Portugal migrated all ringback tone customers to RealNetworks' platform.
Customers will be able to personalize their mobile experience by replacing their standard ringback tone with their favorite music tracks, which callers may listen to and enjoy before the call is answered. Vodafone will now be able to offer its customers a truly dynamic user experience based on a world-class smartphone experience and distinctive audio quality enabled by the Vodafone next generation 4G network.
While ringback tones have been successful in Portugal, mobile carriers operating in the country commonly believe that synergies need to be created in order to reinvigorate the service. RealNetworks' managed services will give mobile network operators significant advantages in fully customizing subscribers' entertainment experiences while creating new revenue streams. The Vodafone Portugal offering is an important step for RealNetworks as the company continues to lead innovation in the ringback tone business through a new smartphone-centric approach.
RealNetworks will further develop unique and advanced propositions in conjunction with all major stakeholders in Portugal, including:
- carriers
- music labels
- independent artists
- media partners
- advertisement agencies
"Vodafone Portugal is a pioneer that wants to offer appealing content and media services as a way to delight subscribers and differentiate their services," said Allen Dickson, vice president, EMEA, RealNetworks. "RealNetworks' managed services will offer them significant advantages in fully customizing their subscribers' entertainment experiences while creating new revenue streams."
"With this deal, Vodafone brings its ringback tone offering to a world-class status, making an appealing proposition available to our expanding high-value convergent user base," said Luis Cardoso, head of VAS, Vodafone. "We chose RealNetworks because of its proven success in providing market-leading, fully-managed ringback tone services to mobile operators across the globe."
RealNetworks, in partnership with other carriers around the world, manages more than 20 million active global ringback tone subscribers across tier-one markets in North America, Europe, Asia and Australia. In 2002, RealNetworks' WiderThan Division launched the world's first ringback tone service with SK Telekom in South Korea.
For more details on RealNetworks' ringback tone services please visit: http://www.realnetworks.com/products-services/mobile-services/mobile-apps
About RealNetworks, Inc.
RealNetworks, Inc. creates innovative products and services that make it easy for people to connect with and enjoy digital media. RealNetworks invented the streaming media category and continues to connect consumers with their digital media both directly and through partners, aiming to support every network, device, media type and social network. Find RealNetworks corporate information at www.realnetworks.com.
RealNetworks and its respective logos are trademarks, registered trademarks, or service marks of RealNetworks. Other products and company names mentioned are the trademarks of their respective owners.
About Vodafone Portugal
Vodafone Portugal is a global telecommunications operator with a convergent service recognised in all segments of the market. Vodafone Portugal currently serves over 2.37 million homes and businesses and has over 4.85 million customers that entrust their communications needs to it, Vodafone Portugal is a leader in innovation, brand image and customer satisfaction.
Vodafone Portugal is part of the Vodafone Group which is one of the world's largest telecommunications companies, providing a range of services including voice, messaging, data and fixed communications. Vodafone has mobile operations in 26 countries, partners with mobile networks in 56 more, and fixed broadband operations in 17 markets. As of 30 June 2016 Vodafone had 465 million mobile customers and 13.7 million fixed broadband customers.
http://www.vodafone.pt/main/A+Vodafone/EN/Who+are+we/
Share this article