UK based network services provider Vodafone said it would introduce its “ring back tone” service to customers in emerging markets, a service only available to the company’s customers in India until now.
Ring back tones lets a caller listen to a song or other audio clip chosen by the owner of the mobile device whose number was dialed, instead of letting the caller listen to a traditional dial tone.
“The announcement between Vodafone Group and OnMobile forms a separate agreement to an existing successful partnership Vodafone’s Indian operation has with OnMobile. Currently, millions of Vodafone customers in India use the ring back tone service, which will be rolled out across Vodafone’s other emerging markets from the Spring,” Vodafone said.
Ring back tones are widely used and make up a large proportion of business in the non-downloadable content market.
Says Bobby Rao, Internet Services Marketing Director, Vodafone: “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.”
