Subscribers to third-generation (3G) mobile services can now look forward to watching an entire drama series on their mobile phones, as Vibo Telecom Inc (
"Video viewing on phones is going to be a cash cow for 3G operators, and we are banking on the new drama to increase our subscriber base," Alex Cheng (程懷山), the company's vice president of marketing and customer support, told reporters yesterday.
The introduction of the drama is aimed at increasing the revenue streams coming from data content -- including short messaging services and videos -- that augment the company's newly unveiled 3G service, he said.
International effort
The 3G mobile drama P.S. ... I Luv U was co-produced by production house MediaCorp Studios and the Media Develop-ment Authority in Singapore, and was a huge hit after its premiere in Singapore last June and Hong Kong last August, Cheng said.
Operators in Malaysia and Japan have also acquired the distribution rights and will soon make it available to mobile users, according to Vibo.
The Mandarin drama is divided into 30 episodes of about three minutes each, and features Taiwanese heartthrobs Chiu Tse (
Unlike traditional TV dramas, the production of 3G mobile dramas takes into account the unique characteristics of video streaming and factors such as visual composition on mobile screens, as well as the length of each episode.
"Even though we have yet to fully analyze and track our users' habits on the new 3G service, we want to be the pioneer in unveiling innovative content services which show great potential, such as this mobile drama," Cheng said.
Young service
Since launching its 3G service in December, Vibo has attracted over 40,000 subscribers so far, chairman Rock Hsu (
To compete with the nation's three biggest mobile carriers led by Chunghwa Telecom Co (
Vibo will work toward the target of luring 1 million customers by the end of this year, Hsu said.
"We welcome the competition from other operators, as this will accelerate the adoption of 3G services to benefit all parties, especially consumers," he added.
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