(CelebrityAccess MediaWire) —
Napster has recorded sales of more than 100,000 Napstertones since the mobile phone service was launched with Dwango Wireless on May 9. "Napster continues to prove the enduring strength of its brand and the appeal of its music subscription service," said Chris Gorog, chairman and CEO of Napster. "Napstertones is off to one of the most successful ringtone debuts ever and the recent introduction of a new competitor's deep discount music subscription service has had no impact on Napster's growth or retention."
Direct handset availability to the new service is currently limited to only one U.S. wireless carrier, making Napstertones' immediate popularity all the more impressive. Access for most major carriers is expected during summer 2005 giving a broader range of mobile music fans the opportunity to have ringtones, artist voice "shoutouts," exclusive Napster Kitty wallpaper and other graphics.
"We knew the Napster brand was powerful but the immediate response has been phenomenal," said Rick Hennessey, CEO, Dwango Wireless. "The launch of Napstertones is one of the most impressive we have seen; it has obviously struck a major chord with consumers everywhere."
Napstertones range from $2.99-$1.99.
–Bob Grossweiner and Jane Cohen