Press Release: Miscellaneous Announcements
Andy McNab Backs Launch Of UK's First Mobile Audiobook Service
Posted at 9:00AM Tuesday 15 Apr 2008
Full-length audiobooks available to download direct to mobile phones for the first time Andy McNab is backing the launch of GoSpoken, a new service that allows UK customers to preview, purchase and download audiobooks via their mobile phones for the first time. The bestselling author is a partner of digital content company Spoken Entertainment, which teamed up with the Random House Group to launch the service at the London International Book Fair in London today. Mobile phone users who have a data plan can now visit www.gospoken.com via their handsets to browse, purchase and download audiobooks without using a credit card, as payment is billed to the users' mobile phone account or through mobile PayPal. The service is designed for High Speed Download Packet Access (HSDPA) phones, which offer download speeds similar to that of a PC. Recent tests show a first-time customer can download and pay for a three-hour audiobook in around four minutes, which will reduce further as new technology is introduced. GoSpoken is also compatible with 3G mobile phones, which download at a slightly slower rate. A full-length mobile audiobook will usually cost between £7 and £8.50. All UK networks are now offering this technology, along with tariffs that allow unlimited broadband access to the mobile internet for as little as £7 a month. Most media players on mobile phones will allow users to remember where they were in an audiobook, and pause automatically when the handset is needed for other uses. Fifty Random House Group audiobooks are now available to purchase and download, including six Andy McNab titles. Other authors available on the service include Chris Ryan, John Grisham, Karin Slaughter, Thomas Harris, James Patterson and Sebastian Faulks. GoSpoken also offers a marketing and sales channel which can be linked to all book advertising. Transworld Publishing recently included a mobile text code on posters and in the back of books, which consumers could use to sample or purchase similar content. A customer survey revealed a high level of satisfaction from customers who purchased content in this way. Andy McNab comments: "I'm a great fan of audiobooks and passionate about bringing them to a wider audience in the UK. The immediacy of the spoken word and added texture of sound effects really transport you to another world through your headphones. GoSpoken will bring audiobooks into the 21st Century - being able to download them to your mobile, wherever you are, means you will never be bored again." Tony Lynch, Managing Director, Spoken Group Ltd comments: "We are targeting technically savvy early adopters in the first instance. Around four per cent of UK mobiles are currently HSDPA, but we expect this to increase to about 40 per cent by the end of 2009. With broadband capabilities increasingly available on mobile phones the audiobooks industry will receive a significant boost." Fionnuala Duggan, Director, Random House Group Digital, comments: "We are committed to working with innovative technology partners who open up new ways for people to engage with our books, so we're delighted to be involved with this pioneering service."
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