Bollyvista to use m-Qube software platform to deliver movie ringtones

Bollyvista.com, an infortainment web site for South Asian communities around the world, launched last month a cross-carrier mobile content store for downloadable media. In partnership with the mobile applications provider m-Qube, the Montreal-based web site makes it possible for its Canadian users to buy and download Bollywood movie images, music and ringtones either on their PCs or directly from their cell phones using the m-Qube ASP-hosted software platform. Digital content from Bollyvista.com now can be purchased with charges posted directly to the customer’s mobile phone bill, and with no credit card required. The worldwide ringtone sales market accounted for US$3.5 billion in 2003, and the major mobile phone content markets are Asia and Europe, with North America’s cell phone industry catching up by upgrading mobile technology with greater capacity. The m-Qube software platform is designed to be user-friendly. It lets businesses engage consumers through the first out-of-home direct response medium, extend content to mobile channels, and influence buying behaviour through permission-based programs. "Ringtones and other wireless digital media are an absolutely booming market, with a phenomenal potential for growth," says Jeremy Long, Bollyvista’s VP of business development. "The hard thing about all this is, this is basically a virgin industry, it hasn’t really been done. So, if you take a record label or a movie-production company, these are old, established businesses, and they have a set system for doing things. And when you’re approaching them with something like ringtones, it just hasn’t been done. Nobody’s quite sure how to do it." Long explains that the m-Qube technology makes Bollyvista’s digital products accessible from every wireless network in Canada. "When it comes to dealing with large systems, like wireless networks, you have all the different handsets for all the different networks, and it’s just a lot of programming, to make sure that every single ringtone is going to work on every handset with every single wireless network. By using the platform from m-Qube, we are compatible with all systems." According to executives at Bollyvista.com, ringtones are just the beginning. It is looking at launching a movie ticket portal that will allow customers to purchase the tickets for Indian movies in any specialized theatre in North America. South Asian Internet radio is also an idea that will soon become reality. "In about three to four months we should have our South Asian radio network, which is basically going to be a bundle of about 30 to 40 different South Asian radio stations, all available through Bollyvista, to listen through live streaming," Long says. Its most ambitious plan is Internet distribution of Bollywood movies, but there are some procedural and legal obstacles to the plan. "The tricky question is getting the licensing. It’s one thing to have the technology and to deploy it, and it’s another thing to have the product to sell," Long explains. "We need the licensing from the actual owners of the films. That’s really what’s putting away release of downloadable movie." Bollyvista is hoping to obtain licensing rights for some movies and TV series by the fourth quarter of 2004. Bollyvista.com, established five years ago, offers a wide array of Indian film-related products, such as movies, music reviews and previews, features, quizzes and photos. The Mumbai-based Bollywood entertainment industry is quantitatively the biggest in the world, producing over 1,000 films every year. Considering the size of the South Asian community in Canada and the popularity of Bollywood productions in that community, this latest service should strengthen Bollyvista’s position as what it says is its leading South Asian infotainment portal.

Bollyvista to use m-Qube software platform to deliver movie ringtones

Broadcast | June 9, 2004

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