Virgin Mobile USA Launches New Services
Opt-In Wireless Listing and Customer Created Content
NEW YORK, NY (October 23, 2007) Virgin Mobile USA, Inc. and LSSiDATA have launched ListYourself!, an end-user application that enables wireless customers to control their mobile phone listing information in a national directory assistance database.
Virgin Mobile USA’s new ListYourself! service allows its customers to submit their telephone numbers for inclusion in LSSiDATA’s directory assistance database, used by over 60 telephone companies.
“ListYourself! is an exciting new option for Virgin Mobile USA customers to be more accessible to their friends and family members,” said Dan Cipoletti, vice president, Voice Offers, Virgin Mobile USA. “Our customer base is now the first to have this easy, privacy-protected option to quickly enter their contact information on-line into a national directory assistance database in the U.S.”
A growing number of Americans are opting to give up their landlines and use only wireless phones. According to a May 2007 industry estimate from the Yankee Group, ten percent of consumers do not have a landline.
The company has also announced Studio V, a unique mobile content community enabling the creation and sharing of user-generated graphics and ringtones, and rewarding customers for their creativity.
With Virgin Mobile USA’s new Studio V, Virgin Mobile USA customers can upload and edit graphics content – including photographs, designs and other graphics - to make personalized wallpaper; and edit pre-existing audio content to make personalized ringtones. Everything that a Virgin Mobile USA customer uploads to or creates on Studio V to be shared with others in the Virgin Mobile USA community is free of charge.
Customers can choose to submit their content to a private gallery, which is accessible only to the content creator, or to a public gallery which is accessible to other Virgin Mobile USA customers for download, ratings and comments. As an added feature, content creators will earn ten cents for each item purchased, which will be credited to their Virgin Mobile accounts. All content is screened by 9 Track Mind.
Dom Tolli, vice president of Mobile Data Services, Virgin Mobile USA, said, “The ability to upload and share creations is another step in our effort to expand peer-to-peer connections with user-generated content within social networks.” Studio V joins Virgin Mobile USA’s other rewards-based feature, Sugar Mama, which enables customers to earn free air time in exchange for watching online ads.
“Studio V provides the youth market, already consuming ringtones and wallpapers, with the tools to be able to express themselves and download mobile content that is unique to them,” said Josh Barkin, president and CEO of 9 Track Mind.
Source: Virgin Mobile USA, Inc. (www.virginmobileusa.com)
