Mobile music distributor 88tc88 now sells to all of Mainland China's mobile carriers

88tc88, the mobile music distributor focused on helping non-Chinese acts distribute their music to Chinese mobile networks, has added China Unicom to the list of mobile outlets it services in China. This addition enables 88tc88 to reach all of China’s 950+ million mobile subscribers. The company also announced that it is the first company to offer statements from China Mobile and China Telecom, that provide its customers accurate and transparent figures for ringtone, caller ringback tone, mastertone and full track sales, individually and bundled as a subscription.

“Our agreement with China Unicom enables us to not only provide our customers full coverage of China’s mobile carriers, but importantly, China’s growing iPhone subscriber base, now estimated at over 4 million,” noted 88tc88 co-founder Thomas Reemer. “Being able to add China to the global digital distribution map is an achievement we at 88 are very proud of accomplishing.” China Unicom is the only carrier in China offering the iPhone with a service contract.

88tc88 has delivered a wide range of western music to China’s mobile carriers, including from organizations such as the Western Australia Music Industry Association, well-known artists like Sean Lennon and Nouvelle Vague as well as new projects by producers such as Kim Fowley and David Carr. Record label signings include Alligator Records, Bar/None and Virtual Records, also a digital distributor of such renowned labels as R.O.I.R. and Cumbancha.

88tc88 is a web based service that helps bands, artists, labels and digital distributors to translate, approve, sell and promote their music in Greater China. 88 offers to arrange official approval by the Chinese authorities for the material to be released. 88tc88 offers access to 950+ million subscribers on China Mobile, China Telekom and China Unicom for digital and mobile release. Online prices range from $49.99; (one album, one year), to $399.99; (5 albums for 3 years.)

I think for a lot of indie acts, this appears to be a great service. The only flag that is raise for me, is that when you sign with them, it is a 3 year exclusive agreement for “Greater China”. I wonder what 88tc88′s definition of Greater China is, does it include Hong Kong and Taiwan? As it stands, their reach is limited to Mainland China, so signing away rights to 2 other major territories when they’re unable to reach them should be questioned. I also think there should be options to lower the fees if there is no translation needed to be done on their part, since this is probably the largest cost of the service. In any case, I will follow their development closely and may use them for distribution of Evocative Records artists.

Story source: Mi2N