Motorola to acquire Soundbuzz

Singapore: Mobile handset manufacturer Motorola will acquire Soundbuzz Pte Ltd, a privately held pan-Asian music provider to enhance music delivery capabilities in Asia. Terms of the transaction were not disclosed. The deal, subject to customary conditions, is expected to close in Q1 2008.

Motorola, through its MOTOMUSIC service, has delivered mobile music to consumers for over two years through its carrier customers in China, Hong Kong and Taiwan. The acquisition of Soundbuzz will allow Motorola to expand MOTOMUSIC beyond China into India, Southeast Asia, Australia and New Zealand. Currently, some 90% of Motorola’s digital music content in Asia is being sold via mobile channels and that is expected to remain in the coming years.

Soundbuzz’s multi-region music delivery platform enables purchase and distribution of digital content via over-the-air and wired broadband connections. Its system includes subscriber management, content management, payment, client software and media delivery technologies. Maintaining the Soundbuzz consumer-facing brand, it will continue to provide “white-label” services to carrier customers that offer tailored solutions for multimedia delivery.

Soundbuzz has access to music libraries in Asia-Pacific through licenses from Sony BMG, EMI, Warner Music International and Universal Music Group, as well as over 45 independent record labels in Asia, US and Europe. Motorola will also maintain Soundbuzz’s Singapore headquarters.