Press release

SONY BMG Music Entertainment UK and O2 in the UK today announces the launch of the first operator- supported major label mobile music store. 

The store, called My Play, will be available exclusively through O2 Active and is powered by Momac’s multimedia publishing platform GoMedia. It brings together the full suite of mobile music products in the shape of videos, full track audio and realtones onto one store. Designed to help bring consumers closer to their favoured artists, the simple user interface will see consumers accessing the store simply by clicking on artist microsites as their gateway into the store. Purchases from the store will be chart eligible from launch.

“This is the first joint venture retail partnership between a major label and an operator and is further testament to O2’s strategy to work with the best partners to create products and services that will enhance the customer experience, “ said Sally Cowdry, Marketing Director, O2 UK. “Joining forces with such a leader in the music space will bring our customers an in-depth music service with the most popular artists available straight to their mobile.”

Ged Doherty, Chairman of SONY BMG Music Entertainment UK, says: “It’s never been more important to think of ways in which best to bring the artist and consumer closer together. The exciting thing about this service is that its artist micro-sites do exactly that, and being mobile, it enables the connection to happen immediately. We’re delighted to be working with O2 on this new service, they are a company who have demonstrated a fantastic commitment to music over a sustained period of time.”

The store is live from August 7th with videos priced fully inclusive at £1.50, tones at £3.50 and full music tracks at 99p. Artist micro-sites will rotate in line with SONY BMG’s release schedule. The store itself is powered by the Momac publishing platform GoMedia which will manage and deliver the raft of content and services. Momac already have a proven track record with both O2 and SONY BMG.

For further information:

Laura Macdonald     
Skywrite Communications        
07859 023 668       
laura.macdonald@skywritecomms.com                 

Nicola Green
Telefónica O2 UK
07976 957810
nicola.green@o2.com

Telefónica O2 UK Press Office
01753 565656
pressoffice@O2.com

Notes:

About O2

• Telefónica O2 UK Limited is a leading communications company for consumers and businesses in the UK, with over 18.7 million mobile customers and over 190,000 fixed broadband customers as at 30 June 2008. 
• Telefónica O2 UK Limited is part of Telefónica Europe plc which is a business division of Telefónica S.A. and which owns O2 in the UK, Ireland, Slovakia, Germany and the Czech Republic, and has 43.8 million customers.
• In 2006 Telefónica Europe acquired Be, the UK fixed broadband provider, and in October 2007O2 launched its broadband service using the Be network.
• O2 is the naming rights partner of The O2, the world-class entertainment venue.
• O2 was ranked the 6th best place to work in the Best Companies to Work for 2008 List and has been awarded a three-star accreditation denoting an ’extraordinary’ company.
• O2 was launched on 1 May 2002 and now has more customers than any other UK mobile network. 
• O2’s UK mobile network covers 99% of the UK’s population.  O2’s 3G network covers 80% of the UK population and is fully HSDPA-enabled, providing speeds of up to 1.8 MBps for customers with an HSDPA-enabled device.
• Telefónica Europe also owns 50% of the Tesco Mobile in the UK and Ireland and Tchibo Mobilfunk joint venture business in Germany. 
• For b-roll footage of O2, please visit http://www.thenewshub.co.uk/
• For further press information about O2 go to http://mediacentre.o2.co.uk/

About SONY BMG Music Entertainment UK
SONY BMG MUSIC ENTERTAINMENT UK is the UK arm of global recorded music joint venture Sony BMG with an extensive roster of local and international artists, as well as a vast catalogue that comprises some of the most important recordings in history.  SONY BMG is 50% owned by Bertelsmann A.G. and 50% owned by Sony Corporation of America.

About MoMac
With offices in London, Rotterdam, and Amsterdam, MoMac specialises in partnering with principal brand, content and right owners to create compelling, creative and profitable mobile services. MoMac’s GoMedia publishing platform has become the choice of many leading European media companies. Founded in 2001, MoMac enjoys strong relationships with key European mobile operators including Vodafone, T-Mobile, O2, KPN, 3 and Orange. The company has been profitable since 2004.

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