Intercasting signs on with Virgin Mobile USA

Mobile media firm Intercasting announced an agreement to launch its Anthem mobile social networking platform via youth-targeted MVNO Virgin Mobile USA. Social networking sites now available to Virgin Mobile USA subscribers include AsianAve, BlackPlanet, GLEE, MiGente, LiveJournal, Vox, Xanga and Intercasting's own Rabble service. The Anthem platform promises a simplified user interface enabling Virgin Mobile subscribers to view photos, send and receive messages, post comments and search profiles regardless of which social networking site they visit. Virgin Mobile USA will make social networking access available for a daily fee of $1.00--customers may also select a $3.99 monthly fee. The Anthem application is presently available via Virgin Mobile's Cyclops, Slider Sonic and Switch_Back handsets.

According to a proprietary survey of Virgin Mobile customers under the age of 35, 63 percent said they have a profile posted on one or more social networking sites. While Facebook and MySpace were most commonly cited, 43 percent of respondents identified rival sites as their social networking destinations of choice, with 16 percent naming Xanga and 5 percent naming BlackPlanet. Among Virgin Mobile subscribers, 92 percent said they visit their favorite social networking sites at least once a day; among them, 32 percent spend between 15 and 30 minutes on their preferred sites, with 14 percent spending more than 90 minutes each day.

For more on the Virgin Mobile USA/Intercasting agreement:
- read this release

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