6th Apr 2006 12:07
UBC Media Group PLC06 April 2006 6 April 2006 UBC announce agreement with BT Movio to enable trial of Digital Radio MusicDownload service UBC Media Group plc is pleased to announce that it has reached agreements inprinciple with BT Movio, Carphone Warehouse and Chrysalis Radio that will allowit, subject to a successful trial, to bring its music downloading service to themarket before the end of 2006. At the time of its interim results in December 2005, UBC Media Group announcedthat it had developed software and licensing agreements that would allow it tooperate a system using digital radio data spectrum to download music files intosuitably equipped mobile phones. UBC owns data spectrum on the five majorregional DAB multiplexes in the UK and has now reached a conditional agreementin principle with Carphone Warehouse, subject to certain factors beingsatisfied, for the use of its capacity on the London II DAB multiplex. UBC has now made a strategic decision to operate data transmission within thisspectrum using the same DAB-IP world standard as implemented by BT Movio. In February 2006, BT Movio announced the launch of a new handset, the world'sfirst DAB-IP enabled Smartphone, at the 3GSM World Congress. The handset willbe available later this year, giving access to a package of digital TV channelsand more than 400 national and local DAB digital radio stations. BT Movio has agreed to collaborate with UBC on the development of this servicefor the trial. UBC has contracted with TTP, who have designed the software onthe BT Movio handset, to write new software allowing the handsets to operate itsmusic download system. This development will take place in two phases. Thefirst will implement the software on a restricted number of test devices inorder to allow over-the-air trials in June this year. Following the successfulcompletion of these trials and the further agreement of all parties, thesoftware can be made commercially available for use on compatible devices. UBCexpects this to take place in December. Chrysalis Radio's 'Heart' stations, which broadcast on all these regionalmultiplexes, will be used as the DAB radio service for the trial. UBC Media Group's CEO Simon Cole said: "We have for a long time said that interactive subscription services were thefuture of digital radio. Today's news brings that vision very much closer toreality. The commercial implications for future radio revenues are huge.Most people choose the music they purchase whilst listening to radio - this newservice will allow them to make that purchase immediately." Phil Riley, Chief Executive of Chrysalis Radio said: "The future of radio is digital and the ability to download music from radiostations is a an important part of that future. This is a very excitingdevelopment." For enquiries, please contact: Simon Cole, CEO, UBC Media Group plc Tel: 020 7453 1600Tim Allan, Portland Tel: 020 7404 5344 About UBC Media Group UBC Media Group plc is a UK public company quoted on the London Stock Exchange'sAIM market. The Group has, since IPO in 2000, taken a leading role in thedevelopment of digital radio in the UK both owning stations and developingsoftware and services that will benefit from the radio industry's transition todigital. This information is provided by RNS The company news service from the London Stock ExchangeRelated Shares:
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