UPDATE: 3 Ireland has entered into a mobile music partnership with EMI Music Ireland to supply full-length audio tracks directly to handsets.
The agreement will enable customers to enjoy new releases on EMI Music’s labels, which include EMI Records, Parlophone, Relentless, Virgin as well as back catalogue material. They will be available to customers to download in either WMA or AAC format depending on their handset.
As a result 3 mobile users can now download music from EMI artists such as The Thrills, Kylie, Robbie Williams, Coldplay (pictured) and Joss Stone directly on to their mobiles.
“We’re always looking for new ways to connect Irish consumers with the vast wealth of great music available through EMI,” said David Gogan, marketing director for EMI Music Ireland.
“This agreement represents a win-win for everyone — we get to expand our distribution network into the burgeoning 3G mobile market and 3’s customers get to access their favorite tracks on the go, any time they want,” Gogan said.
The deal builds on 3’s music offering that includes full-length videos from Sony BMG and music videos from independent label artists through VidZone.
3 launched its network last month with 99.5pc population coverage for voice and text and 60pc population coverage for 3G.
Bob Fuller, 3’s CEO, commented: “3 is continuing to deliver upon the promise of 3G technology — delivering exciting high-quality content such as music, games and videos to our customers, whenever or wherever they demand it.
“Music is one of our most popular services and through this deal with EMI Music Ireland our Irish customers will be able to enjoy the very latest audio tracks,” Fuller said.
As a result 3 mobile users can now download music from EMI artists such as The Thrills, Kylie, Robbie Williams, Coldplay (pictured) and Joss Stone directly on to their mobiles.
In related news, 3’s parent company Hutchison-Whampoa this afternoon announced the 2005 interim results outlining the performance of its 3G operations in Australia, Austria, Italy, Sweden, Denmark, the UK, Hong Kong and Israel.
Gross customer additions of the 3 Group and Hutchison Telecommunications International 3G businesses in the second quarter (Q2) were approximately 1.9m, 12pc ahead of the first quarter of this year and 70pc ahead of the Q2 of 2004. 3 Group’s gross revenues for the first half increased by 291pc over the first half of 2004 to HK$17.2bn (€1.2bn).
However, despite the massive increase in revenues, Hutchison’s 3G ventures recorded a loss of around HK$794m (€83.1m) in the past six months, narrowing from the HK$4.7bn loss (€500m) a year ago. It is understood Hutchison-Whampoa’s investment in 3G over the past five years has reached HK$25bn (€2.6bn), overshadowing the major conglomerate’s investments in ports, property and retail.
By John Kennedy
