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SPRINT AND REALNETWORKS BRING COMPREHENSIVE, BRAND-NAME MOBILE STREAMING MULTIMEDIA SERVICE TO PCS VISION CUSTOMERS NATIONWIDE
Customers can watch and hear the latest news, sports and entertainment updates from top brands such as ABC News, CBS MarketWatch, FOX Sports, NPR News, Sporting News Radio and The Weather Channel®
OVERLAND PARK, Kan., and SEATTLE, August 11, 2003 — Sprint wireless customers are now able to catch brand-name multimedia content delivered by RealOne™ on their PCS Vision phones. Customers can now watch and hear breaking news, market reports, sports highlights, weather forecasts, and additional entertainment services such as horoscopes and movie reviews of the day anywhere on the enhanced Sprint Nationwide PCS Network. It's all being made available through an agreement announced today by Sprint (NYSE: FON, PCS) and RealNetworks®, Inc. (Nasdaq: RNWK), the global leader in digital media services and software for consumers and businesses.
RealOne is the latest step in streaming audio and multimedia services from Sprint, giving PCS Vision customers a fast and comprehensive "third screen" digital media experience, that allows subscribers to watch sports highlights at the airport, get your favorite soap-opera wrap-up on the train ride home, or even listen to the news while in between meetings. This is the next step in wireless audio and multimedia from Sprint and the first step between the two companies to deliver an enhanced video and richer audio experience.
RealOne currently provides subscribers with over four hours of new A/V content each day, offering easy access to content via a '1 or 2 click' experience. For $4.95 per month, consumers with a full-color Java-enabled PCS Vision Phone will be able to purchase the service.
"With RealNetworks, Sprint has a great new partner with proven expertise in delivering on-demand content to a broad base of customers. Together, Sprint and RealNetworks are bringing the top, most trusted brands in news and information services from the desktop to the "third screen" -- the PCS Vision Phone. It gives PCS Vision customers more ways to stay connected and a way to move their on-line world in hand," said Chip Novick, vice president of consumer marketing for the PCS Division of Sprint.
"RealNetworks pioneered the subscription business for online media content to the PC with its introduction of RealOne SuperPass," said Ian Freed, vice president of mobile products and services, RealNetworks, Inc. "Now, with today's agreement with Sprint and the launch of RealOne for Sprint PCS Vision, we are proud to take the next leap forward, by delivering brand-name subscription multimedia content to PCS Vision customers, and by giving consumers an easy and compelling reason to watch the latest news, sports and entertainment, regardless of where they might be."
RealOne Mobile offers a unique set of digital media services, including:
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Sports from FOX Sports and Sporting News Radio: Daily sports summaries and highlights allow PCS Vision customers to catch key moments in a game that make all the difference. No more waiting to get home in order to catch the highlights; PCS Vision customers see and hear these highlights from their PCS Phone. Customers can access regular sports updates or special interest programming, like plays-of-the-day and bloopers. |
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News & Business from ABC News, NPR News and CBS Marketwatch: PCS Vision customers can stay up-to-date on national news from respected news and information resources. In addition to national news, PCS Vision customers can access international news, science and technology reports, and market updates. |
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Entertainment from ABC News and Others: Entertainment services include: entertainment headlines, movie reviews, horoscopes, prime time television and soap opera recaps, book reviews and more. |
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Weather from The Weather Channel: PCS Vision customers won't be caught off guard by severe storms when they get national weather broadcasts on their PCS Vision Phones. On-demand weather updates provide information that could help keep customers safe and out of harm's way. |
Sprint recently announced 2.1 million PCS Vision customers through the end of second quarter, leading the industry in the use of advanced data services, and representing a 62% quarter-over-quarter growth from 1.3 million subscribers in the first quarter of 2003. PCS Vision from Sprint includes services that allow customers to take and receive pictures from select PCS Phones; browse the Internet at speeds faster than most dial-up connections; check personal and corporate e-mail; watch clips and stream audio for news and music; download polyphonic, animated and voice ringers, and full-color, graphically-rich games and screen savers, all on the enhanced Nationwide PCS Network.
The PCS Vision Premium Pack is available for $15 a month. This includes unlimited access to the PCS Vision Web, unlimited text messaging and $10 per month in premium applications such as: RealOne on Sprint PCS Vision, games, ringers and screensavers. RealOne can be purchased through Downloads/Applications/Get New on any Java-enabled PCS Vision Phone. For more information on PCS Vision from Sprint, visit www.sprintpcs.com.
For More Information:
Nancy Sherrer, Sprint, 913.762.7032, Nsherr02@mail.sprintpcs.com
Jenny Stevens, Sprint, 913.762.7071, Jennifer.l.stevens@mail.sprint.com
Cara Jacobson, RealNetworks, 206-674-2234, caraj@real.com
About RealNetworks
RealNetworks, Inc. is the global leader in digital media services and software for consumers and businesses. Consumers use RealNetworks' RealOne Player and RealNetworks' content subscription service, RealOne SuperPass, to play free and premium digital content. Broadcasters, network operators, media companies and enterprises use RealNetworks' products and services to deliver digital media to PCs, mobile phones and consumer electronics devices. Consumers can access and experience audio/video programming and download RealNetworks' consumer software at http://www.real.com. RealNetworks' systems and corporate information is located at http://www.realnetworks.com.
About Sprint
Sprint is a global integrated communications provider serving more than 26 million customers in over 100 countries. With approximately 70,000 employees worldwide and nearly $27 billion in annual revenues, Sprint is widely recognized for developing, engineering and deploying state-of-the-art network technologies, including the United States' first nationwide all-digital, fiber-optic network and an award-winning Tier 1 Internet backbone. Sprint provides local voice and data services in 18 states and operates the largest 100-percent digital, nationwide PCS wireless network in the United States. For more information, visit www.sprint.com..
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