Heart fm fronts the world’s first consumer trial of Digital Music Downloading
7th September 2006 - At a presentation to analysts today in Birmingham, UBC Media Group (LN:UBC) will reveal the results of the trial of its digital radio music download service, which took place with 100.7 Heart fm listeners.
The groundbreaking technology allows real-time downloads of tracks from radio stations as the listener hears them. The consumer trial of the service started in Birmingham at the end of July. 100 users were able to make impulse purchases of songs from the DAB digital simulcast of Chrysalis Radio's 100.7 Heart fm service for a period of four weeks using mobile phones incorporating digital radio.
The results have revealed strong consumer interest in DAB mobile handsets with 83% of triallists keen to use the handsets in the future.
Triallists purchased an average of seven tracks per week, priced at £1.25, a significantly greater quantity than UBC’s original estimates.
Results Highlights
83% of people wish to use a DAB mobile in the future. Triallists purchased an average of seven tracks per week at a price of £1.25 46% listened to the 100.7 Heart fm digital simulcast service for a least an hour a day. 84% were very satisfied with ease of use and audio quality. Approximately 1/4 of the songs downloaded were current hits, with the remainder being classic oldies.
Digital radio downloading appealed strongly to women, especially those not used to downloading music.
Digital radio music downloading differs from 3G mobile music download services as it offers the ability to interact directly with radio broadcasts, rather than having to search and download tracks proactively.
UBC Media Group will announce plans for the full consumer launch of the service later this year.
Phil Riley, Chief Executive of Chrysalis Radio commented:
“I am delighted that Heart has played an instrumental part in this trial and to see how popular the service has been. Digital Music Downloading is clearly hugely value enhancing for our radio stations and our listeners.”
Simon Cole, Chief Executive of UBC Media said:
“I’m delighted that our original assumptions are validated by this research - and particularly by the strong response to interactive digital radio services in a mobile. Although we have to be cautious about reading too much commercially into a restricted trial, the appetite for impulse purchase from radio is clearly there. As we expected, the group who found the service most attractive were those currently untapped by online music downloading.”
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