5 months of pictures in 24 hours

BBC Radio 1 Picture Messaging Day attracts five months’ worth of messages in 24 hours

LONDON, UK, December 17th 2009: BBC Radio 1’s Free Picture Messaging Day on Friday 11th December 2009 attracted the equivalent of five months’ Picture Message traffic in one 24 hour period.

Produced as part of the BBC Radio 1 Access All Areas week, listeners were invited to take pictures of their faces using their mobile phones, then send them to the shortcode 81199.

Coordinated by mobile trade body, The Mobile Data Association, and with the active support of UK Mobile Network Operators, O2, Vodafone, Orange, 3, T-Mobile, Tesco Mobile and Virgin Mobile – who all enabled all picture messages to be free for the day, message traffic hit record levels.

Over 42,000 MMS messages were received during the 24 hour period, equating to approximately 5 months of BBC Radio 1’s usual picture message traffic levels.

Also supported by WIN plc, an enabler of interactive mobile media, entertainment and data services, images were moderated then used to populate an online mosaic for listeners to view and share their images.

Martin Ballard, Operations Director of The Mobile Data Association, said: "These figures demonstrate that when picture messaging is combined with a compelling and intuitive campaign through a simple call to action, people will and do respond. The benefits include extended awareness of the technology, media literacy and increased use.

"Mobile industry stakeholders collaborated in a unique way to ensure that the technical, functional and educational elements of this project delivered a seamless experience. Together with the DJs’ commentary and the MDA’s settings information portal, a positive impression of the picture messaging experience has been produced."

High use throughout the day provides strong promise for future large scale interaction and greater use of the facilities now widely available on mobile phones.

Ballard concluded, "As well as illustrating the social power of picture messaging, this project should act as a catalyst to inspire new ways for the medium to be used."

Ends

 

Notes to Editors:

About Picture Messaging Day

1. The following networks participated and agreed to provide free picture messages to the Radio1 text number 81199 for the day: 3, O2, Orange, T-Mobile, Tesco Mobile, Vodafone and Virgin Media.

2. Only picture messages sent to the Radio 1 text number 81199 between midnight Thursday 10th December and midnight Friday 11th December were free to send.

3. An online video featuring some of the picture messages will be published at http://www.bbc.co.uk/radio1/accessallareas

4. For more information, visit http://www.bbc.co.uk/radio1/mmsday/

About The Mobile Data Association

The MDA reflects the common voice of the mobile data industry. The longest established dedicated mobile trade association in the UK promotes the use and benefits of mobile data throughout industry and business. Press, regular industry conferences and seminars, and the operation of websites (http://www.themda.org, http://www.text.it, http://www.charitytext.org and http://www.getsettings.org) help promote a high level of awareness amongst users and advisers, directly influencing operational management.

In addition, the Association provides a forum for members of the industry to meet and share information on technical and business issues.

Press Contact
Mark Hawkins, Mobile Data Association
07949 023795
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Kevin Taylor, WIN Plc PR
44 (0) 118 920 7650
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