RealNetworks India Pvt Limited, the US-based digital entertainment services company, has entered into an agreement with Idea Cellular for a long-term Ringback Tone (RBT) service in India. 

Idea Cellular is India’s 3rd largest mobile services operator with over 100 million subscribers. RealNetworks won the deal after a rigorous open bidding process ahead of many global and India VAS players. 

Idea has introduced several ‘industry first’ VAS innovations in the past, building a reputation as a thought leader in the telecom space. RealNetworks will power Dialer Tones for 10 key circles in Gujarat, Rajasthan, UP West, UP East, Bihar, Orissa, WestBengal, Kolkata,Assam and North East.

The subscriber base of these circles constitute about one-third of Idea Cellular’s total base, who will now have access to globally advanced and innovative service features.

“Dialer Tones has matured as a product and growth has stagnated.  There is a need to invest in innovation and think out-of-the-box. We hope to partly address this through our partnership with RealNetworks. After a rigorous evaluation process, RealNetworks emerged as ‘best fit’ for the job at hand. We hope to leverage their global expertise in music, technology and licensing,” said Sashi Shankar, CMO, Idea Cellular Limited.

“We are honored to be chosen as the RBT partner of Idea Cellular,” said DJLee, Head of RealNetworks AsiaPacific Co., Ltd. “RealNetworks global expertise in RBT deployment, combined with Idea Cellular’s deep and ongoing commitment to its subscribers’ satisfaction means that Idea’s subscribers will have the opportunity to enjoy innovative, reliable and fun RBT services.”