SPHERE
31
3G
TALENT
SPOTTERS
Mobile platform for star performers
WHERE WILL THE NEXT
music star be
found? It could be on the mobile phone
in your pocket.
While unlimited music download
is helping to revolutionise the mo-
bile scene,
3
is moving to the next
level by turning your phone into a
stage where artistes can show off
their talents.
3
Denmark is the first telecom
company in the world to launch
its own digital record company.
Called 3some music, the bold
new initiative is being seen as a key
platform for upcoming stars who
can now play their latest tunes direct
to the mobile phone in your pocket.
3some music is recruiting its very own
artistes to perform and release their hits via
this platform. It has already seen the launch of the
first new single “
So Invincible
” from artiste and DJ Funkstar De
Luxe, featuring Danish singer Kristine Blond on vocals. While
the first single available for download is with an established
artiste,
3
also wants to help young, unknown talent
and will help market their music.
This revolutionary step will bring many be-
nefits. Established artistes can use the platform to
reach out to
3
’s extensive subscriber base and its
cost-effective approach will also help attract new
talent. It should make customers happy too!
In fact, hearing your favourite tune is now
becoming ever easier all over the world.
3
Hong Kong has pushed the envelope through its
dedicated music portal 3MusicStation. The new service
brings to Hong Kong music lovers a vast library comprised of
both local and international music plus, a string of exclusive
functions like smart search, high-speed downloads and music
community based sharing of tracks. The “all-you-can-down-
load” service enables mobile users to access their music ev-
erywhere, even when not connected to a network. The portal
Hearing your
favourite tune is
now becoming easier
all over the
world
allows videos to be played with HD clarity and there are also
mobile fan clubs and blog sites for dedicated fans who want to
follow the careers of their favourite artistes.
In the UK, the revamped 3MusicStore has something to ap-
peal to every taste. Besides an extraordinarily wide selection to
choose from, the store has also simplified the music download
process; instead of buying your favourite songs for your PC and
mobile phone separately, you can now do it all at once over
your mobile phone.
The 3MusicStore has almost 1.5 million tracks and 10,000
music videos to choose, allowing customers to shop for their
mobile music content under one central storefront. From there,
consumers can select different music genres or focus on par-
ticular artistes. Other key features include an integrated search
engine and the editorial content, including artiste biographies
and album reviews.
This means that if there is a tune that catches your attention
while you are on the road, you can buy it on the phone and
download it to your PC for no extra charge. It’s what
3
UK calls
the “All tracks dual download” service.
3
Italia has also been busy. The Italian leader in the Univer-
sal Mobile Telecommunications System (UMTS) market, with
over 8.2 million customers, has launched a new service that
allows customers to download their favourite music
whenever they want – minus the worries about
extra charges.
The service offers subscribers access to in-
teractive and personalised music streams and
themed channels, as well as a catalogue of
thousands of tracks from major record labels
via an integrated music download storefront.
Apart from music,
3
Italia also provides a wide
range of multimedia, video communications and
Internet services, as well as entertainment, information,
cinema, sports and mobile TV.
Unlimited downloads will undoubtedly see the music mar-
ket grow rapidly. Add the convenience of downloading music
anytime and anywhere without having to worry about extra
charges, and you can appreciate the tremendous benefits for
the customer.
ILLUSTRATION: HENRY CHAN
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