Faith West drops a beat onto phones with the launch of Modtones DJ on U.S. Cellular
San Francisco - September 13, 2004 - Faith West announced today the launch of Modtones DJ, the first music ringtone service for subscribers of U.S. Cellular. Modtones DJ fuses the simplicity of the Modtones ringtone service with a new catalog of full fidelity hit singles and tracks from key artists. The new format is a compressed version of the original recording, including vocals, so users can download real music right from their U.S. Cellular phone.
Modtones DJ features licensed tracks from EMI Music, as well as from Sony BMG Music Entertainment's RCA Music Group, Zomba Label Group and RCA Label Group - Nashville. Tracks are available from top artists including Run DMC, Coldplay, The Strokes, Duran Duran and Kelis. In addition, the company has licensed content from Epitaph, including songs by punk stalwarts Rancid.
Faith West launched Modtones in June of 2002, with polyphonic ringtones that re-create the full instrumentation of a song in a tiny file size that can be easily transmitted over the air. Since the launch, Faith West has added new content types to Modtones, including sound effects, comedic clips and voice tones.
"The launch of Modtones DJ is another step in the evolution of mobile content. We are committed to offering the most compelling content for mobile consumers. For the first time, U.S. Cellular customers can have artists sing as their phone rings," said Carolynne Schloeder, president of Faith West.
"Providing cutting-edge technology applications like Modtones DJ is part of U.S. Cellular's commitment to delivering the best to our customers," said Alan D. Ferber, vice president of marketing, U.S. Cellular. "Instead of hearing just instrumental tones, customers with Modtones DJ will hear the voice of the artist."
"EMI's goal is to offer consumers more ways to enjoy music and make it part of their lives," said Ted Cohen, Senior Vice President, EMI Music Digital Development and Distribution. "We're delighted that U.S. Cellular subscribers will have access to music from EMI artists via Modtones."
Ringtones from Modtones DJ are priced at $2.99 each, with the charges appearing on the consumer's mobile phone bill.
About Faith West Inc.
Faith West makes mobile phones rock. A wholly owned subsidiary of publicly traded Japanese corporation Faith, Inc., Faith West delivers high-impact mobile content to consumers and wireless carriers. Its flagship brand is Modtones. The company also provides service to licensees of its parent company's software based mobile sound solutions worldwide, including authoring tools to create mobile content in the proprietary CMX® multimedia format developed by QUALCOMM with Faith technology. Faith West is headquartered in San Francisco, CA. http://www.faithwestinc.com
About U.S. Cellular
U.S. Cellular Corporation (AMEX: USM), the nation's eighth largest wireless service carrier, provides wireless service to more than 4.7 million customers in 150 markets throughout 26 states. The 20-year-old, Chicago-based company operates on a customer satisfaction strategy, meeting customers' needs by providing a comprehensive range of wireless products and services, superior customer support, a high quality network and targeted community outreach activities.
About EMI
EMI Music is the world's largest independent record company, operating in nearly 50 countries around the world. Its record labels include Angel, Astralwerks, Blue Note, Capitol, EMI, EMI Classics, Manhattan, Mute, Parlophone and Virgin.
About Epitaph
Founded in 1981 by Bad Religion guitarist Brett Gurewitz, Epitaph Records is one of the oldest and most successful punk/indie record labels.
About Sony BMG Music Entertainment
Sony BMG Music Entertainment is a global recorded music joint venture with a roster of current artists that includes a broad array of both local artists and international superstars, as well as a vast catalog that comprises some of the most important recordings in history. Sony BMG Music Entertainment is 50% owned by Bertelsmann A.G. and 50% owned by Sony Corporation of America.
|
