[Hands0n]

Impressive that 3 are hitting the headlines yet again, surely it cant do them any harm.



UK telecommunications company, 3, has passed the one million download mark after only four months of offering its download service.

With average downloads of 200,000 a month since the launch of the mobile audio service in December 2005, the latest accolades come only two weeks after winning Best Digital Music Service at the Music Week awards.

The Official Charts Company, who compile the UK charts, have indicated that 3's download service has been responsible for 53 per cent of all mobile audio downloads this year.

The popularity of 3's service has been attributed to its dual download facility that simultaneously downloads tracks to PCs and mobiles and to their flat rate pricing policy.

Downloads from 3's service are estimated to make up 3.7 per cent of the combined singles chart and their marketing director, Graeme Oxby, told 3G :' These figures show that 3 is dominating mobile music and punching way above our weight. Every one of our 3.5 million customers has a music shop in their pocket, and their choices now have as much impact on the charts as a traditional music store.'

The millionth download was a track by Will Young.

Source Article: http://tech.monstersandcritics.com/news/article_1150417.php/3_at_front_of_mobile_track_downloads

[Hands0n]

.... And .....



3 UK Takes Majority of Music Downloads Marker

With average sales of over 200,000 tracks per month, Hutchison 3G UK says that its audio service has made up over 53% of mobile audio track downloads since the start of 2006, according to the Official Charts Company (OCC), the body responsible for compiling the UK music charts. OCC figures also show that 3's audio sales already account for 3.7% of the combined singles chart and 7.5% of the digital download chart this year. The findings come as 3 celebrates the millionth audio download on its award-winning music service in just 4 months


Graeme Oxby, Marketing Director of 3, said: "These figures show that 3 is dominating mobile music and punching way above our weight. Every one of our 3.5 million customers has a music shop in their pocket, and their choices now have as much impact on the charts as a traditional music store."

Brit award winning artist James Blunt has sold over 80,000 copies of his single "Goodbye my Lover" in the UK and it was revealed today that over 10% (8,627) of these have been downloaded through Hutch 3G. With these findings suggesting 1 in 10 prefer to buy Blunt's singles over the phone, the mobile music medium is now playing a major role in the UK charts.

3's video sales - which currently outstrip audio sales - are not considered eligible for inclusion in the charts by the OCC. If included, 3 predict that its share of the singles market would more than double. Over 15 million music videos were watched by 3 customers in the first year of the video jukebox service.

"It will be really interesting to see 3's progression throughout 2006," comments Mark Krendal, Head of Digital at Polydor: " Their rapid ascension to being the front-running mobile music service has already shown 3's potential to have a positive effect on music industry revenues in addition to showcasing emerging artists."

The millionth download arrives two weeks after 3 was named 'Best Digital Music Service' at the Music Week awards.

3 says that it will continue developing mobile music service in 2006, with plans to release the UK's first mobile-only single and the launch of a new music service for up-and-coming talent in the months ahead. 3 is also running a special course on making music videos especially for mobile with St Martins College of Art.


Source Article: http://www.cellular-news.com/story/16703.php

[3GScottishUser]

No surprise as they include a mandatory download content allowance in most of their contracts now.

I'm not sure how much value one can actually attach to this statistic.

Interesting but has to be viewed with some caution re the above factor.

[gorilla]

I suppose it can be seen to be changing user habits. I hardly ever use my download allowance.
And for creative accouting purposes this now supports the claim that they are generating more revenue from data.

[Ben]

The dual-download policy definitely has a lot to do with this success and the other networks should take note. Does anyone know whether you can move your tunes to a new phone when you upgrade, or are they locked to the handset like Vodafone's crazy system?

[Hands0n]

They're locked courtesy of DRM.