Games, videos and audio based on popular Warner Bros. Entertainment brands to be available for download via Nokia Content Discoverer

Nokia and Warner Bros. Digital Distribution today announced an agreement for high-quality content based on popular Warner Bros. Entertainment brands to be made available for consumer downloads through the Nokia Content Discoverer client, embedded in millions of Nokia devices currently available in markets around the globe.

The multi-country agreement will create a dedicated Warner Bros. mobile content “storefront” available to consumers through the device-resident Nokia Content Discoverer client, part of Nokia’s complete mobile content ecosystem. Compatible with leading Nokia handsets based on S60 and Series 40, Nokia Content Discoverer is embedded as an on-device portal in more than 20 Nokia handset models, comprising millions of devices currently in the marketplace through leading mobile operators and retail outlets worldwide.

At service launch, mobile subscribers in select European and Asian countries will be able to explore the dedicated Warner Bros. Entertainment channel and discover images, tones, games and video clips. The consumer offer brings together premium and promotional content from some of the world’s most revered entertainment brands, including Looney Tunes, Hanna-Barbera, DC Comics, Superman Returns, Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, V for Vendetta, Dukes of Hazzard and Batman Begins.

“This agreement represents a key addition to our Nokia Content Discoverer program, providing Nokia customers with a convenient and familiar place to shop for the world’s most popular entertainment content,” said Brad Brockhaug, Director, Business Development and Channels, Forum Nokia, Nokia’s global developer program. “Nokia Content Discoverer is part of a content ecosystem designed to improve access to mobile content downloads for millions of subscribers. These consumers now will be able to personalize their mobile devices with their favorite Warner Bros. content.”

Nokia Content Discoverer facilitates easy access to downloadable content by mobile subscribers through a collection of shopping mall “stores” run by branded content providers, leading content aggregators and mobile service providers. Operators are able to build their own branded mobile shopping mall, with better positioning of content and the presence of the operator’s brand on the device, generating higher adoption. Consumers’ experience of content shopping is greatly enhanced through Nokia Content Discoverer’s advanced on-device caching of content catalog metadata which allows free browsing of the content stores in the mobile mall, as well as automatic content updates, integrated preview/prelisten and proficient content installation capabilities.

“Nokia Content Discoverer offers a new channel for us to distribute Warner Bros mobile content. It also provides end consumers with more choice and ease of access in this increasingly sophisticated space,” said Billy Wright, Vice President of Global Wireless, Warner Bros. Digital Distribution. “We are delighted to work with Nokia on this unprecedented launch and look forward to working together on further opportunities in the near future.”

Nokia Content Discoverer is currently embedded in select S60 and Series 40 devices available in the global marketplace, including the Nseries multimedia devices (Nokia N70, N71, N72, N73, N80 and N93), Eseries devices for enterprise users (Nokia E50, E60, E61 and E70), Nokia 5500, and Nokia 3250 handsets currently available in mainland China and on Nokia 6131 devices in China and other Asia-Pacific markets. Nokia Content Discoverer is expected to be in the hands of over 20 million consumers worldwide by the end of 2006.

Even though the UEFA Champions League hasn’t kicked off yet and the football Bundesliga 2006/07 has only just warmed up, there’s evidently a winning player on the field: Vodafone’s football service. The DГјsseldorf-based mobile communications provider is delivering live and full-length broadcasts of all first and second Bundesliga matches to UMTS mobile phone users. The ‘Vodafone live Football Flatrate’ only costs an extra EUR 7.50 a month and enables users to watch their favourite team play. If two matches have the same kick-off time, they can watch both of them using a conference function. The package also includes the ‘Vodafone FreistoГџ’ (Vodafone Freekick) programme, showing Bundesliga and UEFA Champions League highlights. Even football fans without a UMTS phone don’t have to miss out on the fun, because they can book the ‘Football Package’ for an additional EUR 5 a month. It includes a live ticker with images and many other football services. In short, both packages are full to the brim with football goodies and Vodafone live! customers have the opportunity to test them out free of charge and without obligation until 9 October 2006.

Thanks to UMTS, Vodafone has entered a new dimension of football TV broadcasting. Football fans with a UMTS phone and the ‘Vodafone live Football Flatrate’ can simply switch on their handset and watch the Bundesliga matches from the kick-off to the final whistle. “Being able to watch the whole 90 minutes live on a UMTS phone was something of a sensation at the start of the season,” said Erik Friemuth, the man in charge of Vodafone live!. “This innovative service is winning over new fans on a daily basis.”

The ‘Vodafone live Football Flatrate’ means 90 minutes of live football enjoyment
All UMTS phone users can book the ‘Vodafone live Football Flatrate’ for only EUR 7.50 extra a month. The first four weeks are entirely free of charge so that users can test out the service. All Bundesliga matches are broadcast live and in full length at the weekend. Users can either watch one Bundesliga match or use the conference function to switch between two different matches. There’s also a live ticker with images so that customers can keep up to date on match progress or check the latest league table status. And the ‘Vodafone live Football Flatrate’ also includes the ‘Vodafone FreistoГџ’ TV programme every Friday, Saturday and Sunday evening. This compact-format, 25-minute TV show provides detailed reports with images of all matches, match summaries, player portraits and many other things. The content provider is Vodafone’s partner Arena TV. UEFA Champions League matches are also on the programme in conjunction with Premiere. On UEFA Champions League match days, customers get a preview of the matches, a summary at half-time and match highlights after the final whistle.

The alternative for customers without a UMTS phone is the ‘Football Package’ with live ticker
Even football fans without an UMTS phone don’t have to sit in front of their TV set. Vodafone offers them the ‘Football Package’ as an alternative to the UMTS version for EUR 5 a month. They simply book it in addition to their term contract. It includes a live ticker with images of all first and second Bundesliga matches, plus the UEFA Champions League matches, for information about the progress of every game. Customers also get to use the popular MMS information services. MMS messages are sent to their phones at half-time and after the final whistle providing information about goals, ball possession, corners, yellow and red cards and send-offs. As usual, the ‘My Club live!’, ‘Bundesliga Compact’ and ‘UEFA CL Compact’ options are also available. Another interesting feature is the Video Clips on Demand service, which delivers video clips of the day’s matches.

Test the football services out for free until 9 October
Both offers – ‘Vodafone live Football Flatrate’ and ‘Football Package’ – can be tested free of charge until 9 October 2006. All Vodafone live! customers will receive an MMS in the next few days containing information about the offers and an invitation to try out the ‘football experience’ on their mobile phones. The test phase is non-binding and customers don’t have to provide notice if they don’t want to continue using the service.

If they do decide not to miss one more minute of football, they can subscribe to the football services at the Vodafone shop or on the Vodafone live! portal. Another, even simpler subscription option is to send a text message with the text ‘Ball’ to 55555. A response text message will be sent with a link to the portal where the football package can be booked. The ‘Vodafone live Football Flatrate’ has a minimum term of twelve months, and there is no charge during the summer and winter breaks.

Virgin Mobile tannounced the launch of its new mobile TV service, Virgin Mobile TV, and confirmed the that it will be offering a selection of much-loved premium channels and programming to Virgin Mobile TV viewers, starting on October 1st 2006.

Virgin Mobile TV will broadcast BBC One, ITV1, Channel 4 and E4, offering consumers a wide range of high-profile channels and TV programmes. Customers who have a Virgin Mobile �Tellyphone’ will be able to watch their favourite TV programmes and listen to DAB digital radio wherever they are. Wherever you need to watch TV, whether it’s Eastenders on the bus, or Coronation Street in a cab, Virgin Mobile TV will make sure you never have to miss an episode of your favourite programme again.

The service, which is provided by BT’s wholesale mobile broadcast entertainment service, BT Movio, will also broadcast DAB digital radio, offer �red-button’ interactivity and features an exclusive seven-day electronic programme guide (EPG).

Virgin Mobile TV can be viewed on the Virgin Mobile Lobster 700 Mobile TV phone, which will be available from October 1st through Virgin Mobile Stores within Virgin Megastores and WHSmiths, its standalone stores, and direct from virginmobile.com/mobile. Virgin Mobile offers the mobile TV phone and service for free for customers on a contract of ВЈ25 a month or more, for the life of their contract. The phone is available on pre-pay for ВЈ199, when the service will be free for an initial three-month period, followed by a charge of ВЈ5 a month. BBC One will be available on a trial basis for 12 months and will be provided free to consumers. Customers who buy a contract in Virgin Mobile Stores also benefit from double the amount of airtime compared to standard tariffs available in other retailers.

The new Virgin Mobile TV device will be supported with a multi-million pound advertising campaign, starring the world-famous actress Pamela Anderson. The ads will be seen on British TV for the first time on October 9th.

Virgin Mobile’s TV service broadcasts TV live** �as it happens’ over the DAB digital frequency spectrum, which currently covers more than 85% of the UK population. The Lobster 700 Mobile TV phone is the world’s first DAB-IP-enabled handset, and was created by HTC. As well as offering TV and up to 50 DAB digital radio stations, the handset is also Virgin Mobile’s first Windows-operated smartphone, offering Windows Mobile functionality and Windows Media Player. The device is the first in a series of mobile phones being developed to support the BT Movio service.

Alan Gow, managing director of Virgin Mobile, said: “The launch of Virgin Mobile’s вЂ?Tellyphone’ is a real watershed, both in terms of mobile devices and the evolution of broadcasting. Virgin Mobile finally delivers what others have been promising for so long – real TV broadcast to your mobile, delivering the programmes you want to watch, when you want to watch them, in a simple and easy-to-use experience. We are hugely proud of the Virgin Mobile TV service and I think it could revolutionise how, when and where people choose to watch TV.”

Emma Lloyd, managing director, BT Movio, said: “BT Movio looks forward to working with Virgin Mobile as our first customer. We fully anticipate that their well-known marketing flare will attract many UK consumers to the service, which will offer the strongest TV and digital radio content for mobile phones yet to be seen in the UK.”