The Bookseller.com

4th July 2009

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Mobile audio deal for Random

26.03.08

Random House is to work with GoSpoken, a new service that allows customers to preview, purchase and download audiobooks via their mobile phones.

The agreement, to be officially launched at this year’s London Book Fair, will make a number of Random audiobooks available to buy at www.gospoken.com.

The site goes live in April. Though compatible with 2.5G and 3G phones, it is designed mainly for High Speed Downlink Packet Access (HSDPA) mobiles, which have surfing speeds similar to broadband. Currently about 4% of UK mobiles are HSDPA, but GoSpoken predicts usage will reach about 40% by the end of 2009. It says a three-hour audiobook can be downloaded in six minutes on phones using HSDPA technology.

Rebecca Snook, marketing manager for GoSpoken parent Spoken Group, said: “HSDPA usage is currently fairly low, but all the mobile companies will be pushing it in the next year. This broadband for your phone will revolutionise the audiobooks market.”

According to Audiobooks Publishing Association research, downloads now represent just over 10% of the UK’s £72m audiobooks market.

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