Global Demand Growing for Napster Mobile, Powered by Napster and Ericsson, as AT&T Extends Offering

With the global customer base for Napster Mobile expanding by millions in the first quarter, Ericsson and Napster continue to lead the way in meeting demand for and delivering a superior mobile music experience worldwide.

Announced just last week, AT&T plans to make Napster Mobile available to more than 12 million additional customers beginning this summer. With recent Napster Mobile launches through partnerships with world class mobile carriers in the United Kingdom, Italy and Chile, more than 140 million subscribers in seven countries are now able to use the mobile music service. Napster Mobile users are supported by an ecosystem that today includes nearly 400 mobile devices.

“Our first quarter product launches with O2 UK, Telecom Italia and Entel -- leading carriers in three global markets -- demonstrate that demand for Napster Mobile is rapidly growing throughout the world,” said Napster President Brad Duea. “Napster Mobile is the premier mobile music service in the world. It’s simple, affordable and offers customers the largest mobile music catalog.”

Introduced in 2006 by Napster and Ericsson, Napster Mobile is one of the fastest growing mobile music platforms. This premium music service offers an array of features and personalized content, including ringtones, artist images, wallpaper and access to Napster Mobile's catalog of more than 5 million songs. Napster Mobile also offers the decided advantage of dual-delivery, a unique feature that provides users the convenience of downloading songs directly to their phones with a copy of the song available to download on their PCs.

“Ericsson’s strategy of partnering with leading brands like Napster, coupled with the hosting business model and market leading service delivery platform, is being validated by marquee customer wins in North America and around the world,” said Angel Ruiz, President and CEO, Ericsson North America. “More and more operators are realizing the advantages of quickly launching new, innovative and branded services to their customers. Such services help drive revenue and increase customer loyalty. Mobile Multimedia is playing a key role in shaping contemporary lifestyle and Ericsson is at the forefront of driving such innovation and enabling new experiences.”