Preferred Voice and PTCI Announce Plans To Launch
Ringbacks To Consumers In The Southern U.S.
This marks Preferred Voice's (PVI) second carrier
announcement for its ringback service; Ringbacks are trending to be the most
anticipated product for 2005 due to the potential for new mobile revenue for
carriers
DALLAS, TX - December 21, 2004 - Preferred Voice, Inc. (PVI)
(OTCBB: PFVI), a leading provider of personalization and entertainment services,
and regional carrier Panhandle Telephone Cooperative, Inc. in Oklahoma today
announced plans to launch a new ringback tune service in first quarter of 2005.
This marks PVI's second carrier announcement after its successful launch with
First Cellular of Southern Illinois in October, the first launch in the U.S.
Ringbacks have the potential to be the fastest growing mobile service in the
coming year and the market opportunity is substantial. It sits at the
intersection of two of the most successful areas of wireless data:
personalization services, which have the most penetration and mobile music,
which is the fastest revenue generator. Personalization and music are especially
important to the lucrative youth market, who represent the growth of the market.
Ringbacks are already experiencing tremendous success in Asia. Korea's No. 1
wireless provider, SK Telecom has achieved more than 30% penetration in just 2
years. Ringbacks are returning solid results on increasing ARPU for carriers in
Asia. Korea's SK Telecom has reported an increase of $2.44 in ARPU, Taiwan's
Mobitai an increase of $1.84 and FarEasTone (FET) an increase of $1.84. In
addition, Mobitai reports an average of 6 downloads a month with FET at an
average of 2.5 downloads a month.
"We have demonstrated Preferred Voice's Rockin Ringback product in our
marketplace and the response was tremendous. No one ever expected ring-tones to
be as popular as they are and we think ringbacks will experience the same
popularity. It isn't often that carriers our size get to be on the leading edge
of service introduction but Preferred provided us with a quick and cost
effective solution that will allow PTCI to be one of the first to provide this
fun new service," said Chris Purdy of PTCI.
"Ringbacks are taking off like wildfire in the U.S. and I expect them to be
the hottest new product in 2005 and demonstrate the greatest growth," said Latif
Nathani, CEO of Preferred Voice. "What makes us different is our approach. We
offer an innovative ASP-based solution that enables carriers to get their
service up and running quickly and cost-effectively versus the traditional
software integration approach that takes enormous amounts of time, money and
resources. We believe our approach will drive faster adoption in the U.S. in
2005 and enables carriers to realize the revenue potential sooner."
PVI's personalized ringbacks provide a network-based personalization service
that enables users to choose an audio file that callers will listen to while the
phone is ringing. PVI's ringback service provides PTCI with a new way to
increase average revenue per user (ARPU) and decrease churn while providing
advanced customization and personalization services for its subscribers. Unlike
downloadable ringtones, which reside on the handset, ringback tones reside on
the network. Because ringback tones are network-based and do not reside on
devices, both wireless and wireline carriers can offer this service.
PTCI's service will allow subscribers to personalize their dialing experience
and entertain their callers with favorite music tracks, sound effects and
self-created messages. For example, a subscriber could assign a ringback to her
best friend to hear a song such as "Girls Just Want To Have Fun," while she's
waiting for her to pick up or assign "Money, Money, Money" to play for her
parents when they call. One will also be able to further select the tune to be
heard on a particular day of the week and/or time of the day.
PVI's
personalized ringbacks are a core integrated product in its mobile
personalization services Suite "My Phone Services" for wireless carriers that
provides a new breed of wireless applications enabling user-centric
communications. In addition to ringbacks, the suite includes tightly integrated
products including the Advanced Network Address Book, Network Voice Activated
Dialing, Push2Connect, and SmartLine.
About Preferred Voice
Based in Dallas, TX, Preferred Voice, Inc. (OTCBB: PFVI) is a leading
provider of personalization services for wireless, ILEC and CLEC companies.
PVI's "My Phone Services" suite includes tightly integrated products including
the Advanced Network Address Book, Network Voice Activated Dialing,
Push2Connect, SmartLine and Rockin' Ringback. For more information visit www.preferredvoice.com .
Media may contact:
Joni Hanson
(206) 972-6823 or
joni@drivepointcomm.com
Except for historical information contained in this press release,
statements contained herein may constitute forward-looking statements within the
meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. These
forward-looking statements are subject to certain risks and uncertainties that
could cause actual results to differ materially from what is set forth in this
press release, as more fully described in the Company's filings with the SEC.
The Company does not intend to update any of such statements.