July 25th, 2006 – Radio Mirchi listeners can now “See what they hear” with Visual Radio, a new music service that allows listeners to interact with their favourite radio station on their mobile phone for Hutch subscribers.

Developed by Nokia and offered by Hewlett-Packard (HP), Visual Radio adds a new dimension to FM radio with interactive contents and services for mobile radio listeners, increasing listener loyalty for radio station operators while providing an opportunity for mobile operators to increase usage for data services.

Redefining the radio experience, Visual Radio allows listeners to tune in to local FM radio via the analog receiver on their mobile phone while simultaneously receiving interactive information and graphics that are synchronised with the radio broadcast via the cellular data network onto the screen of the mobile device. With Visual Radio, listeners can enjoy appealing visuals, information and entertainment of what’s playing over the air, purchase ring tones and other mobile content of the artiste, participate in radio station promotions, polls, contests, and interact with RJs and special guests.

“Radio Mirchi is delighted to usher into a new era of radio experience. Visual Radio caters to the demand for entertainment content on mobile phones by the Indian consumers”, said A P Parigi, MD, Radio Mirchi. “This service will allow listeners to tune in to Radio Mirchi via their mobile phones while simultaneously receiving interactive information and graphics that are synchronized with the broadcast".

Hutch customers who are using Visual Radio enabled mobile phones will be able to tune in to Visual Radio on Radio Mirchi. To commence this new era of mobile radio entertainment, Visual Radio will be made available to Hutch customers in New Delhi, followed by other metros in the country. The customer would be charged at the regular PlanetHutch rate of 10 paise per 10 KB and regular download charges for downloading ring tones etc.

“Through the ‘Visual Radio’, Hutch customers can see information about and interact with what’s playing on the radio. The ‘Visual Radio’ is the first of its kind offering in India, creating an enjoyable experience for our customers. This launch reinforces our commitment to be at the forefront of innovation in music related services.” said Mr. Naveen Chopra, Chief Marketing Officer Hutch.

The launch of Visual Radio in India demonstrates a revolution in interactive mobile communications and redefines the experience of traditional FM radio, not only for the users but also for broadcasters, advertisers and mobile operators. Visual Radio creates new business models that offer access to interactive music discovery services and the ability to purchase merchandise directly from a mobile phone.

"“Since introducing the Visual Radio service, HP has worked with industry leaders like Radio Mirchi and Hutch to deliver Visual Radio to listeners around the world,” said Ms Debra Brackeen, Director, Strategic Initiatives, HP “We look forward to working with our partners to make Visual Radio a great success in India.”

Speaking on the launch occasion Mr. Gautam Advani, Director-Multimedia, Nokia said “We are completely committed to making it easy for people to enjoy the music they want, on a single device that is always with them.  As part of this commitment, we have already launched more than 10 Nokia phones in India that are compatible with Visual Radio - the Nokia N70, Nokia N71, Nokia N80, Nokia N91, Nokia 3230, Nokia 3250, Nokia 6125, Nokia 6131, Nokia 6280 and Nokia 7370 – with still more to come in the future.”
 
For more information on Visual Radio, please visit http://www.visualradio.com

About Nokia
A market leader in the cellular industry in Asia Pacific, Nokia provides innovative, industry leading and market-relevant technology and products to around 20 diverse markets in the region. Nokia is a world leader in mobile communications, driving the growth and sustainability of the broader mobility industry. Nokia connects people to each other and the information that matters to them with easy-to-use and innovative products like mobile phones, devices and solutions for imaging, games, media and businesses. Nokia provides equipment, solutions and services for network operators and corporations. You may visit the Nokia Asia-Pacific website at http://www.nokia-asia.com or the Nokia Group website at http://www.nokia.com

About HP
HP is a technology solutions provider to consumers, businesses and institutions globally. The company’s offerings span IT infrastructure, global services, business and home computing, and imaging and printing. For the four fiscal quarters ended April 30, 2006, HP revenue totaled $88.9 billion. More information about HP (NYSE, Nasdaq: HPQ) is available at www.hp.com.