Verizon Wireless to sell music-playing phones

Iria

NEW YORK (Reuters) - Verizon Wireless, the No. 2 U.S. mobile service, plans next week to start selling three mobile phones with built-in digital music players, a person familiar with the matter said on Friday.

Top U.S. mobile companies are betting music will be the next hot feature that could help boost revenue to eventually make up for falling phone call prices.

Verizon Wireless' phones from Motorola Inc., UTStarcom Inc and LG Electronics Inc. will have detachable storage that allows users to download music from computers, according to the source, who requested anonymity.

"Verizon Wireless is going to announce it on Tuesday," the person said. The phones would work on Verizon Wireless' high-speed network, but would not immediately support wireless music downloads.

New phones include the LG 8100 and UTstarcom's CDM 8940 according to the source, who said Verizon Wireless also plans to start adding music playing and storage capability to the Motorola E815, which it already sells without these features.
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Read More / Source: Reuters