Vodafone to Expand Ringback Tone Deal into Emerging Markets

Vodafone has signed a deal with India based OnMobile to offer ringback tones in its emerging markets. Currently, millions of Vodafone Essar customers in India use OnMobile's ring back tone service, which will be rolled out across Vodafone's other emerging markets from the Spring.

Ring back tones are widely used, particularly in Asia, where they make up a large proportion of business in the non-downloadable content market. Instead of listening to a traditional dial tone when calling someone, ring back tones let the caller listen to a song or other audio clip chosen by the owner of the mobile device whose number was dialled.

Bobby Rao, Internet Services Marketing Director, Vodafone, said: "Anyone with a mobile phone can use ring back tones. They can be personalised for individual callers and contain music, greetings, jokes as well as special audio effects. Vodafone was one of the first operators to introduce ring back tones and through this deal, we will now be able offer customers in Africa, the rest of Asia and central Europe an affordable way to personalise their phones."

Posted to the site on 17th April 2009