Orange has partnered with Universal Music and 4Music to launch a free service that allows the network’s prepay customers to stream music.The service and tariff, called Monkey, will allow customers who own low-end phones to listen to, create and share playlists on the web, and they will also be sent adverts. It is aimed at the youth market, primarily 16 to 24 year olds.Monkey will be available in Orange and Phones 4u from this week (30 July), and in other indirect outlets from September. Channel 4 will promote the service from September across its TV channel portfolio, and its 4Music website.Also on 30 July, a dedicated Monkey website will go live, which aims to create a ‘community’ where Orange customers can share music.Customers that take the deal will get access to free texts and will be delivered adverts from ‘relevant brands’ to their mobile.Content on offer includes exclusive music, pre-release tracks, competitions and artist interviews. Universal Music will also promote up and coming artists using the service.
Universal Music’s senior VP of digital, Rob Wells, said the service will give the youth market an alternative to piracy. The label offers similar services in partnerships with networks in other countries, including in France with Bouygues Telecom, where it has two million subscribers.Orange is targeting younger customers with low-end handsets, who the network feels have been priced out of existing digital music services. Orange director of prepay Pippa Dunn said: ‘There is no competitor – it is a unique opportunity to target the youth market.’
Another indication that the operators are catering for the prepay market in light of the current economic situation perhaps?