Verizon Wireless began offering ringbacks in some California markets, marking the first time a major U.S. carrier has offered the service.
Ringbacks are clips of music callers hear instead of a traditional ring before the person being called answers the phone. Verizon subscribers must pay a monthly fee of $1 for access to the service and can buy unlimited use of a ringback tone for one year for $2 per song.
Customers can choose different ringback tones for different callers based on caller ID, group list or time of day. The popularity of ringbacks has exploded in some Asian markets like Korea, where the application generated more than $100 million last year, according to the Yankee Group.
Verizon also announced that it has expanded its relationship with Sony BMG Music Entertainment, bringing a catalog of hits from Sony BMG artists to the carrier’s portfolio. The agreement includes ringtones, master ringtones and ringback tones, in addition to opportunities for the two companies to develop joint marketing programs.
“Sony BMG Music is a leader in mobile media,” said Paul Palmieri, Verizon’s executive director of business development, “and this agreement allows our customers to get cool ringtones and set up ringback tones, giving them even more ways to personalize their phones.”
First Cellular of Southern Illinois was the first U.S. carrier to offer a ringback service in October.<
