New Cell Sensation

ANCHOR LEAD
IF YOU'VE GOT A CELL PHONE... YOU KNOW ALL ABOUT RINGTONES... THOSE CUSTOMIZED SONGS YOU HEAR WHEN SOMEONE DIALS YOU UP.
BUT HEADS UP! THERE'S A NEW OPTION IN THE WORLD OF CELL PHONES YOU WON'T BELIEVE! HERE'S ______________.

NAT SOT Length :07
(ringtones music)

TRACK ONE Length :03
RINGTONES ARE HIP AND HOT. JUST ASK MANDY NUWAR (NEW-WAR)

SOT
KEY @ :12 Mandy Nuwar, Ringback User
"I just like it better than, you know, the normal jingle that everyone has."

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SO HOT, BILLBOARD MAGAZINE NOW RUNS A CHART OF THE TOP DOWNLOADS...FROM HIP HOP, TO COUNTRY, TO EVERYTHING IN BETWEEN.

NAT SOT Length :02
(Ringtones scrolling)

TRACK THREE Length :06
BUT NOW, THERE'S AN EVEN HOTTER WAY TO LET YOUR CELL PHONE EXPRESS YOUR PERSONALITY. IT'S CALLED A
RINGBACK TONE.

SOT
KEY@ :32 Lewis Ward, Senior Research Analyst
"Ringback tones are what you hear when you dial somebody, so instead of the typical ringing sound, you're going to hear a clip of music."

TRACK FOUR Length :02
SO, WHEN YOU CALL SOMEONE, INSTEAD OF THIS...

NAT SOT Length :02
(Nats of ring)

TRACK FIVE Length :04
YOU HEAR A TUNE CHOSEN BY THAT PERSON JUST FOR YOU--LIKE THIS:

NAT SOT Length :02
(Nats of Alicia Keyes)

TRACK SIX Length :08
MANDY'S PICKED CUSTOMIZED TONES FOR ALL HER BEST FRIENDS...
IT'S SO NEW AND UNEXPECTED, SOMETIMES CALLERS THINK
THEY'VE BEEN PLACED ON HOLD.

SOT
KEY @ :56 Mandy Nuwar, Ringback User
"I actually do let it ring for a little bit just so they can hear it (laughs) and then I pick up the phone and they're like, 'Oh, my God! What is that? What's going on?'"

TRACK SEVEN Length :06
MANDY SAYS HER CHOICE OF DOWNLOADED RINGBACK TONES, RANGING FROM ALICIA KEYES TO SNOOP DOGG, HAS BEEN WELL-RECEIVED.

SOT
NO KEY Mandy Nuwar, Ringback User
"They're like, 'That is the coolest thing, I love it!'"

TRACK EIGHT Length :03
SOURCES:
Michael Gallelli of T-Mobile and Edgar Bronfman, Jr. and Lewis Ward of Warner Music say the popularity of ringback tones will depend on how it is marketed.
EXPERTS PREDICT THE RINGBACK BIZ COULD BE BIG...

NAT SOT Length :03
"Gentlemen, start your engines."

SOT
KEY @ 1:19 Lewis Ward, Senior Research Analyst
"We estimate that ringback revenues will be in the 85-million dollar range for 2005."

SOT
NO KEY Mandy Nuwar, Ringback User
"It's addictive. It'll definitely catch on."

ANCHOR TAG
T-MOBILE OFFERS RINGBACK TONES -- MARKETED AS "CALLER TUNES"-- ON ITS WEB SITE, FOR A MONTHLY SERVICE FEE OF A DOLLAR FORTY-NINE, PLUS A DOLLAR NINETY-NINE FOR EACH RINGBACK TONE YOU CHOOSE TO PUT ON YOUR PHONE.

VERIZON IS TESTING A SIMILAR SYSTEM AND PLANS TO GO NATIONWIDE SOON...AND ALL MAJOR CARRIERS ARE EXPECTED TO LAUNCH BY THE END OF THE YEAR, SO KEEP CHECKING WITH YOUR SERVICE PROVIDER.

SOURCE LIST

Lewis Ward
Senior Research Analyst
IDC
Wireless & Mobile Communications Group
(508) 988-7927
http://www.idcresearch.com/getdoc.jsp?containerId=PRF001992