HMV set to enter mobile market

by Staff, Marketing 02-Aug-06, 08:00

LONDON - HMV is planning to sell mobile phone contracts and handsets in its stores for the first time.

The retailer has signed deals with Vodafone and Orange to sell monthly contracts in 21 of its stores. It will stock the Samsung D600, Sony Ericsson W890i and the Nokia N91 handsets, all of which have music players.

The initiative is part of a push for its HMV Digital music download service, as it seeks to differentiate itself from other music retailers.

HMV is to provide downloads from booths installed in some of its bigger stores, in addition to those it already offers online.

The reatailer added that pre-pay mobile phones would be introduced to its range by the end of August.

HMV head of digital Mark Bennett said the activity was a trial, but it would be looking to expand its mobile offer as media players on phones become more sophisticated.

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