Bango Regulatory News (BGO)

19 Oct 2006 13:30

INgrooves, the world's leading digital media publisher forindependent music, is using Bango's browse and buy technology toconnect independent music labels and artists with their fans aroundthe world and create the next generation shopping experience onmobile. With the mobile rights for 500 labels whose music genresinclude Hip-Hop, R&B, Electronic and Rock, INgrooves is enabling theindependent music industry to participate in the mobile contentrevolution. £ Industry analyst NPD Group reports that Rap/Hip-Hop was theleading ringtone genre among those downloading ringtones in the U.S.market in July 2006, accounting for 23 percent of ringtone downloads.Using a content management system from Graphico New Media, INgroovesbuilds WAP sites for its artists and labels to address the increasingdemand for new ringtones and other content such as wallpapers. £ Bango's browse and buy technology enables artists such as ThieveryCorporation, The Crystal Method, Traxamillion and breakout R&B star,Kieran, to sell digital content directly to mobile phone users acrossall networks using the mobile internet. The mobile internet enablesbands to have their own mobile content shop where users browse and buyin one seamless flow, without the need to exit the shop to send aPremium SMS message to buy content. £ INgrooves' artists and labels also benefit from the internet'snetworking effect where users discover the site by browsing in from amobile search engine or clicking on a mobile advertisement. The viralelement of the internet is also important enabling fans to pass onrecommendations and push links for their favorite sites to each other. £ In addition to operator billing, consumers can pay using PremiumSMS, credit/debit card and PayPal - so these independent music artistsand labels can sell directly to consumers on any phone networkworld-wide. £ "Bango's global payment platform is important to our independentartists and labels because their fans span the globe," said JasonKadlec, Director of Business Development at INgrooves. "We need todeliver a superior consumer experience that makes people want to comeback again and again. Bango and the mobile internet deliver thatexperience." £ About Bango £ Bango has developed and deployed a unique open, globalinfrastructure platform that enables content providers to market, selland deliver their products and services directly to mobile phone userson all mobile networks using the mobile Internet. This"direct-to-consumer" approach operates alongside the operator's mobilecontent portals. Leading mobile operators including Cingular Wireless,Vodafone, Orange, Telefonica and O2 work with Bango to accelerate thegrowth of their "direct-to-consumer" business. £ The Bango platform has given phone subscribers around the worldgreater access to third-party content. Leading content brands are nowadopting the Bango Service to engage with all of their existing andpotential mobile customers directly - irrespective of operator. Bango,based in New York and Cambridge (UK), is quoted on the London StockExchange (AIM: BGO). £ For further information, go to www.bango.com. £ About INgrooves £ INgrooves is a digital media publisher and technology company thatprovides distribution, marketing, and licensing services through itsINgrooves(TM), INgrooves Mobile Music(TM), and Digital MusicAccess(TM) brands. As the digital representative for frontlinereleases from artists and labels, INgrooves increases the exposure andearnings potential of its artists and label partners. INgroovesdistributes audio and video content to over 300 internet and mobilestores worldwide using its patent-pending technology platform. Artistsand independent labels seeking worldwide marketing and licensingservices rely on INgrooves to get their music into TV, films, videogames and other branding programs. For more information, check outwww.ingrooves.com. Copyright Business Wire 2006