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STOCKHOLM, Sweden-- Oct. 26, 2004--Malaysia's largest operator, Maxis, today
became the first operator in Asia to introduce Ericsson's (NASDAQ:ERICY) mobile
music service, M-USE. Marketed as part of the myMaxis portal, the dedicated music
service is integrated, hosted and managed by Ericsson.
At a sneak preview and soft launch held today for the media, journalists were
given a first-hand experience with the hosted mobile music service as a prelude
to the commercial launch scheduled next month.
The M-USE service can deliver a variety of true tones (ring tones playing the
original music), polyphonic ring tones, Star MMS (artist pictures and music clips),
mobile karaoke, video clip download, video clip streaming, as well as artist greetings
and artist news. Unique to M-USE is an advanced personalization engine that recommends
artists and tracks tailored to each consumer's individual music taste, allowing
Maxis customers to easily find music that is right for them.
Operating on 2G (GPRS) as well as on 3G (WCDMA), the service is accessible via
Maxis SMS, WAP and Internet portal. Ericsson takes the overall responsibility
for the music service, including Digital Rights Management (DRM) and platform
development.
"We are pleased that Ericsson is able to provide us with a solution that complements
our effort to offer personalized services to our customers," said Edward Ying,
Chief Operating Officer, Maxis. "With the unique personalization feature that
M-USE provides, we are able to cater for the varying tastes and preferences of
our large customer base. Ericsson is our key partner for 2G and 3G network infrastructure,
and is today a sole one of our main supplier for our 3G radio access network.
We are pleased that we also have their support toward offering easy-to-use, exciting,
new services to our customers."
"We are proud that Maxis has selected Ericsson's M-USE service and we look forward
to helping them deliver a unique and personal mobile music experience to their
customers," said Kristian Tear, president of Ericsson South East Asia & country
manager Ericsson Malaysia. "The convenience of use and content richness will fit
perfectly with Maxis' goal to enrich their mobile lifestyle."
"We have a strong relationship with Maxis, having been appointed its first infrastructure
partner for its 3G network," continued Kristian Tear. "Work is well underway with
the installation, implementation, integration and commissioning of the network,
and we are well on track with the deployment plans. Today's event adds a new dimension
to our partnership, as we are now involved in supporting Maxis at the service
layer as well. This is part of our long-term commitment toward supporting Maxis'
goals, not just in network evolution and efficiency, but in revenue and business
growth as well."
The hosted M-USE mobile music service is part of Ericsson's Managed Services
offering. This offering makes it easier for operators to offer attractive content
for their customers and bring the service to market quickly while controlling
capital and operational costs.
M-USE uses the latest in Digital Rights Management (DRM) as well as an artificial
intelligence engine which continuously monitors users' individual music tastes
and then recommends complementary music for each user. It works independently
of handsets, and subscribers do not need unique download devices or terminals
beyond their handsets to enjoy the service.
Maxis is Malaysia's largest mobile service provider with more than 40 percent
market share and a customer base of 5.12 million as of June 30, 2004.
Ericsson is shaping the future of Mobile and Broadband Internet communications
through its continuous technology leadership. Providing innovative solutions in
more than 140 countries, Ericsson is helping to create the most powerful communication
companies in the world.
Read more at http://www.ericsson.com
About Maxis Communications Berhad
Maxis is Malaysia's premier telecommunications company and a market leader with
over 40% share, providing high quality voice and data services to more than 5
million customers. Its mobile postpaid and prepaid services are offered under
the Maxis and Hotlink brands respectively. The company has achieved its leading
position through a clear strategy of developing premium brands, providing quality
network and customer services, as well as introducing innovative services and
products. In support of its mobile business, Maxis also operates an international
gateway as well as a domestic fixed line network, which offers voice and data
services to business customers. Its broadband infrastructure includes fibre optic,
microwave and VSAT technologies. |
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