STOCKHOLM -- Ericsson and 3 Italy have announced a five-year agreement for hosted Ringback Tones, based on Ericsson's Personalized Greeting Service. The service will enable 3 Italy to provide the latest content to its customers in an easy, speedy and cost-efficient manner.

Ringback Tones are tunes or other sound bites that replace the standard tone that callers hear as they wait for their calls to be answered. This service has already been launched successfully in many parts of the world and now Ericsson is delivering it to 3 Italy's customers. These kinds of entertainment and personalization solutions help operators attract new subscribers and keep existing customers loyal.

Dina Ravera, Chief Operating Officer, 3 Italy, says: "Ericsson has proven to be a good partner for us. By choosing to broaden this partnership, we are able to provide our customers with what's in demand and also keep our costs at a minimum. We believe the Personalized Greeting Service will appeal to our young-subscriber segment and keep them satisfied with the latest content on the market."

Cesare Avenia, President and Head of Market Unit Italy, Ericsson, says, 3 Italy is an innovative and important operator, and Ericsson is proud to extend its partnership with the company even further. "Ringback Tones make up one of the new attractive services that many consumers desire. Ericsson has a unique ability to bring the technology and content together for the ultimate solution for the operator and consumers," he says.

Ericsson AB