BASKING RIDGE, N.J.—Nielsen Mobile continued its leisurely stroll into wireless, tapping Verizon Wireless to provide sales information regarding the carrier’s mobile music sales.
Nielsen Mobile—a division of the longtime Internet and television tracking firm Nielsen Entertainment—said Verizon Wireless will provide weekly sales data of ringtones, ringback tones and full-track, over-the-air downloads. Verizon Wireless will not share individual customer information, Nielsen noted.
“Mobile music is taking off among customers of all ages,” said John Harrobin, vice president of digital media and marketing for Verizon Wireless. “Nielsen Mobile provides a needed measurement service as the mobile music industry continues to grow and evolve.”
The announcement appears to mark the first carrier deal for Nielsen Mobile, which launched in March 2005 and provides data for Billboard Magazine’s weekly ringtone charts. The company has been relatively quiet, however—in stark contrast to M:Metrics and Telephia, which regularly churn out reports and press releases regarding the uptake of mobile content and applications.
