With more Mobile Operators partaking in the digital services segment, an increasing number of strategic partnerships are being formed between content providers and Operators who are offering their subscribers the best in audio, video and literary content. One of the major models employed by Operators is to provide subscribers 24hour access to a large collection of the content, from reputable brands, for a small monthly subscription fee. Using simple downloadable Apps, subscribers can stream the content wherever they go, creating a convenient and affordable option to access best content online.
According to Telefonica Digital, they have recently entered into an agreement with Rhapsody International to offer Napster, a Rhapsody owned brand, to hundreds of thousands of existing customers of Telefonica's Sonora music service. The agreement is one of the largest of its kind in digital music in terms of global reach and customer base and paves way for Napster to enter the Latin American market. Telefónica, which gains an equity stake in Rhapsody as part of the deal, will also now be able to offer bundled Napster music services to its hundreds of millions of subscribers across its global footprint.
Commenting on the partnership, Stephen Shurrock, CEO of New Business Ventures at Telefónica Digital said, “Whether through the O2 Arenas or services such as Sonora, we have long believed that music is an important way of engaging with customers. As demand for streaming music services takes off, our Rhapsody partnership will allow us to deliver a compelling music proposition to our customers, leveraging Napster’s heritage, brand and strong position in this market.”
“At Rhapsody, we have a rich history of providing music lovers instant, anywhere, anytime access to an unlimited catalog of music,“ said Paul Springer, senior vice president and global head of product for Rhapsody. “We value product innovation and partnerships, and you’ll see both through this Telefonica relationship. As global smartphone usage continues to rise, particularly in Latin America, we are thrilled to put more music in the hands of music fans across the globe.”
| Source - Telefonica Blog (Oct 16, 2013) | Follow US @ |
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