Sprint PCS reported an expanded agreement with Warner Music Group Inc. and a deal with Sony Music Entertainment that Sprint PCS said will allow it to offer access to real-song ringers, streamed music clips and full-length music tracks from its PCS Vision Music Channel beginning next month.
Sprint PCS said the Sony Music offering will feature Sony Music Artist Channels, which will present a different artist each month and allow users to access artist information, video clips, interviews, games and ringers, along with Sony Music Channel with artist news, pictures, tour updates and links to Sony Music Content.
The carrier’s Warner Music service will include streaming music capabilities and expand its currently available 30-second music clips to full-length songs; access to Warner subsidiary Rhino Records artist, pictures and links to ringers; and animated, voice and joke ringers from Rhino Records.
“The popularity of ring tones has greatly surpassed our expectations, and as major carriers such as Sprint employ the latest cutting-edge technology that enables us to stream full-length compressed audio tracks, it becomes clear that the wireless handset market will soon be one of the music industry’s most important platforms for delivering music,” said Michael Nash, senior vice president of Internet strategy and business development for Warner Music.
Sprint PCS said it expects pricing for the expanded music services will be comparable to its current Warner Music offering and noted more than 10 million ringers and screen savers have been purchased and downloaded since its PCS Vision service was launched last August.
