From cn-c114

China Mobile Plans Ringback Tone Advertising

Updated:2008/3/24 11:05

Tags:China Mobile | TOM

A source close to China Mobile (NYSE: CHL; 0941.HK) has revealed that the company is pushing forward with preparations for advertising color ringback tones (CRBT), with commercial use possible by H2 2008.

Mobile users will be able to download advertising CRBTs at no charge, with advertisers covering download costs and paying a fee to the operators. The actual costs to advertisers are currently under discussion.

Mobile users may also receive payments, possibly in the form of rebates on their mobile phone bills, determined by the number of calls they receive in a month. Again, figures are under discussion.

However, currently operator platforms do not support advertising CRBTs, so the technical issues involved in an upgrade will need to be discussed with the vendors. These platforms are mainly sourced from Huawei and ZTE (0763.HK; 000063.SZ), with Huawei already having expressed enthusiasm for advertising CRBTs and proposing a ''Huawei model.''

Under this model, Huawei would collect music from advertisers and upload it to the operator''s Huawei-provided platform. Promotion would then be handed to leading wireless value-added service providers (SPs) or other channels. At the end of last year Huawei''s China Commercial Consulting department started talks on close partnerships with SPs including Kongzhong (Nasdaq: KONG), Tom Online and A8.

If this goes ahead, Huawei will become the leader of the advertising CRBT business, collecting fees from advertisers and passing a cut on to operators.

However, China Mobile has objections to this model.

From SACAYA

COLOR RING BACK TONE

Sacaya offers CRBT, the innovative service giving subscribers the ability to decide what a caller will hear during interconnection. The CRBT solution provides a rich set of personalized ring-back features on a multi-services, modular communications platform. CRBT weaves together elements of personalization, permission and context to result in a multi-textured audio signature, a killer service that pushes operators to the top of the business.

Key Features

• Multiple Ring Back Tones - Subscribers can classify callers into groups and play appropriate ring backs for them. Based on caller ID, 'white' lists. Gifting CRBT - A subscriber can give away a ring back tone as a gift via the website or voice access code to other subscribers. Support SMS,IVR,WAP,USSD,WEB interfaces for subscriber provisioning. and 'black' lists, subscribers can demarcate special tones for certain callers. They can uniquely customize the tone a caller will hear and choose whether a caller hears a personalized or standard tone
• Random CRBT Play - Subscribers can log onto the website to set several ring back tone groups and several ring back tones for each group.
• Priority Settings - Subscribers have the freedom to set priorities according to which the ring back will be played.
• Copying CRBT - A subscriber can copy the ring back tones of others via the Website and keep them for his/her own use.
• Time Specific CRBT - In addition to the function of caller-specific CRBT, the system also allows the subscribers to customize coloring ring back tones by time segment.
• Gifting CRBT - A subscriber can give away a ring back tone as a gift via the website or voice access code to other subscribers. Support SMS,IVR,WAP,USSD,WEB interfaces for subscriber provisioning

Key Benefits

• Handset independent service.
• New revenue streams from ring back downloads and increased voice calls
• High penetration rates of up to 30% with quicker ROI.
• Wide Array of Ring Backs
• Billing Ticket Generation

From CBOSS

Color Ring Back Tone

CBOSScrbt allows subscribers to replace standard ring back, “unavailable” and “busy” tones/notifications with user-defined sound fragments (music, voice messages, sound effects). Sound fragments may be selected from the database or recorded by subscribers.
CBOSScrbt takes phone personalization to the next level and introduces nice informality.

System Operation

Upon a call to subscriber А (service user) from subscriber B, the caller hears a sound fragment replacing the ring back tone. If the called party is busy (or unavailable), the corresponding user-defined voice fragment is played back to subscriber B, and the connection is terminated.

Functionalities

• Replacing standard notifications
  • ring back tones;
  • unavailability notification;
  • "busy" notification.
  
  A tone signal or a cyclic sound fragment is played back to the calling party. Standard notifications upon outgoing calls may also be substituted.
• Call screening
  When integrated with CBOSScallScreening, users may set different sound fragments for every filter (including a fragment for incoming calls rejected by the call screening system).
• Managing ring back tones and notifications
  Like ringtones and screensavers, users may select color ring back tones at the telco’s website or via the USSD, SMS or IVR interface.
  Users may configure service parameters, listen to sound fragments, record fragments or load them from a file and even exchange melodies with other subscribers. The list of available operations is limited only by operator’s hardware platform.
• Flexible ring back tone rating
  The system supports flexible rating of color ring back tone change, user-defined ring back tones, etc. – meters, accumulators, discounts.
• Authorized access to settings
  Passwords are used for customer authentication. If necessary, password can be deactivated. In this case USSD, SMS or IVR identify a subscriber by phone number.
• Enhanced ring back tone functionalities
  The system supports fragment shuffle, temporary fragments – relevant for a certain time period or a certain number of playbacks, etc.

Integration

CBOSScrbt may be integrated with CBOSSbcc and any third-party billing system.
CBOSScrbt Web interface may be integrated with CBOSSics.
SMS and USSD interfaces are implemented by integration with corresponding external CBOSS or third-party systems.

Integration with CBOSScallScreening
CBOSScallScreening allows automatic rejection or forwarding of unwanted and irrelevant incoming calls as well as outgoing call barring. When integrated with CBOSScrbt, it allows setting ring back tones separately for every filter thus boosting use of sound fragments and generating additional revenue.

Benefits

• Significantly greater revenue from audio content
  While all fragments are stored at operator’s platform, fraud and compliance problems do not arise (unlike ringtone services).
• Additional revenue from subscriber and fragment replacement fee
• Higher voice traffic due to fragment pre-listening on its configuration via voice menu. This traffic may be chargeable.
• Higher subscriber loyalty due to individual approach and wider range of provided services.
• Challenge to competitors – you may be the first to provide ring back tones in your region.
• Step-by-step service enhancement, while having several further marketing actions in store.

From ApexVoice

Online Advertising

Audio/Video Color Ring-Back Tones

Mobile phone users customize their handsets to suit their personality from the moment it is purchased. Whether it is the color (skin) of the phone, ring tones, logos, screensavers or special animation, the handsets has now become an extension of the user's personality.

The next evolution in handset personalization, color ring-back tones (CRBT), allows for users to customize what the calling party hears or sees with video, music, promotional sound clips or voices. Instead of the familiar ring-tone, a particular video clip, music, message or other personalized audio content is heard or seen by the calling party while they wait for the call to be answered.

The APEX Audio/Video Color Ring-Back Tones (CRBT) application, based on the industry leading OmniVox3D Application Server, offers a number of key benefits to service providers. The support for audio and video ring-back on the same platform allows service providers to reach both 2G and 3G customers at a lower cost-per-user. The time to design, develop and deliver CRBT services, and then to continue modifying it to meet ever-changing user demands, is radically minimized with the integrated service creation environment.

By offering the latest applications, such as video CRBT, a service provider is perceived as being on the leading-edge, reducing customer churn while increasing loyalty. Since the application is independent of both handsets and Subscriber Identity Modules (SIMs), CRBT options are available to every type of subscriber (i.e. postpaid, prepaid, fixed line or mobile).

With the APEX Audio/Video CRBT application, users can personalize their communications with a variety of multimedia content and assign different CRBTs to different callers or groups of callers, and select different CRBT for their callers based on date, day or time. They can receive SMS notifications for new audio and video content availability and access the service through IVR, Web, SMS and Interactive Video Portal (IVP) interfaces.

From ZTE

ZTE MyRing Solution

Overview Color Ring Back Tone (CRBT) is a new value-added service that allows mobile phone subscribers to customize their own ring-back tones. If a subscriber succeeds in requesting this service, his/her mobile phone, when called, will no longer respond with monotonous beeping ring-back tones but with some humanized response tones such as a wonderful music melody or a caller’s warm greeting. ZTE’s CRBT solution brand name “ZTE MyRing” is a proven personalized service in the major markets such as in China, Singapore, Romania, India, Pakistan & Africa. It is rich in features, provides easy to use interface and management for operators, content providers and users. Introduction to ZTE MyRing Networking Solution ZTE MyRing Networking Solution ZTE MyRing system consists of two parts: centralized service control and processing, and distributed service access and tone playing. For service control and processing, CRBT Server, Interface Message Processor (IMP), WWW Server, Signaling Interface Unit (SIU), CDR Server, and OAM Console are installed, generally within the same LAN. Service access and tone playing, also known as IP player, contains Voice Servers and IPs. The servers may be in a different LAN from CRBT center equipments. When multiple IPs are provided, each IP is configured with a tone server which is within the same LAN as the IP. Through signaling links, IP is connected to the CRBT SERVER, through TCP/IP connection the ring back tones are loaded to the voice server. CRBT center is connected to the MSC/Switch with ISUP adopted to implement user connection over voice paths. Besides, ZTE MyRing system provides abundant interfaces to enable the seamless integration with existing external system. Via TCP/IP links, it is accessed to the Internet to enable connection to Prepaid system, Short Message System, Billing System, Provisioning System and third-party service providers (SP). The SPs then provide more diversified personalized ring back tones to the users. ZTE MyRing System Architecture ZTE MyRing (ZXIN10-CRBT) is designed to meet today’s need with its rich services and applications, providing scalability & flexibility to scale for the future. It supports wire and wireless networks simultaneously to provide unified CRBT service to the customers in different networks. Based on the service requirements, ZTE provides the above integrated network solution to meet and satisfy CRBT functions. The physical equipments of the CRBT system are interconnected as follows: ZTE MyRing System Architecture The complete CRBT Player system is composed of CRBT server, Signal Interface Unit(SIU), Interface Message Processor, Web Server, CDR Server, Intelligent Peripheral (IP), Voice server, Ethernet switch and OAM Console etc. Features ZTE MyRing provides diversified Features including but not limited to the following: Basic Features Personal Ring Tone Library Default Ring Back Tone Caller based RBT Caller Number Group based RBT Time based RBT Blacklist Random/Sequence RBT Play RBT Duplication RBT Presentation Advanced Features Self-recording RBT RBT Service Donation Special Date RBT One Key Purchase Mixed Tone Free Choice RBT Other Services Caller Based RBT Corporation RBT Benefits For Users CRBT service is a voice based Value Added Service, it brings the end user a most characteristic—Amusement. And for the corporation or SME (Small Medium Enterprise), they may find another approach to present themselves or their products. For Operators CRBT service is easy to use and the customer range is wide, all of these enable it becoming another successful VAS after SMS which can bring revenue to the operators. This service will also increase the revenue of voice access and SMS, etc. Its flexible business model can reduce the investment risk for the operators. Future of ZTE MyRing The service development relies on the core network development. As more and more carriers build NGN networks, the MyRing system migrates to the convergence of narrow and broadband services. Besides the narrow band based CRBT service as introduced above, in broadband networks ZTE MyRing system can also provide more entertaining Multimedia service, like Multi Media CRBT and Color Show service.

From Huawei

Color Ring Back Tone

Overview

Color ring back tone (CRBT) can replace common DU-DU sound RBT with the called party-customized personalized RBT and play for the calling party. Therefore, the calling party can enjoy a different experience while waiting for the called party to answer the call.

Based on abundant CRBT deployment experience, Huawei can provide the end-to-end CRBT solution to operators, including system integration and operation consultant services, to help operators solve key problems occurring during the CRBT construction and operation

Features

Various subscriber access support
Provide abundant access modes, such as IVR, SMS, WAP and USSD.

Presenting RBTs
Provide the RBT presenting functions to ease subscribers download and customize RBTs.

Plenty Music packages
Provide music packages satisfying different consumption habits through the segmented areas and subscriber groups, and enhance the subscriber loyalty to RBT services.

Direct IVR access codes support
Provide direct IVR access codes for different SPs and CPs to offer initiatively services and publicize the good points of RBT services with the operators.

RBT DIY
Help final users realize their wishes of being singing stars to make their own RBTs. Help operators guide subscribers use behaviors, enrich RBT contents, and enhance the RBT services.

Benefits

Open system structure helps build the value chain
Adopt the open service structure to separate underlying data with upper-layer service. Open the upper-layer service flows and interfaces to the third party, thus improving the service provision capability, and enhance the flexibility of service deployment. Adopt the simple object access protocol (SOAP) to customize, modify and debug conveniently interfaces and service flows.

Flexible networking reduces the TCO
Support 2G, GSM, CDMA and 3G networking applications. Select an optimal and the fastest RBT service deployment solution according to the actual network situation of the operator.

Provide fault protection
Key components adopt the active/standby mode or load sharing mode for operations. Any single-point fault does not affect the normal operation of services.

Centralized maintenance and management function ensures the normal operation
Possess perfect centralized maintenance, traffic statistics and alarm functions.

Reference

By March 2008, Huawei RBT has served 126 operators in 68 countries, including five of Top 10 operators in the world. The penetration rate of most operators in the first half or first year exceeded 20%. RBT has become one of the most profitable services for operators.

From Telenity

Individuality and self-expression are the order of the day. Let your subscribers express their individuality with customized audio and/or video ringback tones. Let them greet their friends, family and colleagues with video clips, songs, sounds, or homemade recordings instead of the old, traditional ringback tones (RBT). Enable them to surprise their callers with individualized video messages or tunes based on caller ID, time of day, special dates or other specified parameters. Give them content and let them enjoy the coolest mobile technology.

The Canvas^® brand covers multiple solutions with key components that are optimal for future growth in the evolving next generation networks (3G/IMS). Each Canvas product offers not only a point solution, but also re-usable building blocks that seamlessly integrate with other Canvas products as well as with Telenity partner solutions.

Canvas CoolRings™, Personalized Ringback Tone Application, is a member of the Canvas Converged Value Added Services portfolio. It replaces conventional ringback tones with video clips, recorded messages, corporate adver-tisements, jokes or any combination of these. With Canvas CoolRings subscribers can:

• Select and personalize individual ringback tones for each of their callers through Web, WAP, SMS, IVR, USSD, Video Portal and Call Center Interfaces
  
  
• Assign different ringback tones to different callers or group of callers
  
  
• Specify different audio and video content for their callers based on the date, day and/or time
  
  
• Set personal rules like black and white lists
  
  
• Gift content to other users
  
  
• Search a library of artists, songs, video clips, recordings or sounds on the subscriber portal. It features TOP 10 most selected video clips and songs for ringback tones, as well as, the ability to upload subscribers' own audio and video recordings

Canvas CoolRings also provides subscribers with:

• SMS Notification for new content for different categories
  
  
• Personal content expiration notification
  
  
• New content highlight
  
  
• Corporate ringback tone option where administrators from a corporation have the right to assign RBT to a group such as a department or to individuals

Network Technology Independent
Canvas CoolRings is independent of the network technology for wireless and wireline networks. It works on landline GSM, CDMA, 2.5G/3G and IMS networks.

Subscriber Handset Independent
Canvas CoolRings audio and video components are stored in and delivered over the network. It includes original recordings, audio and video, not just simple tone sequences. Every caller hears the selection in full, no matter what phone they use. The service works with both legacy and next generation smart phone devices capable of multimedia clients.