AT&T Wireless launches mobile music recognition

The new music recognition service allows customers to identify songs simply by placing their phones near a music speaker.

Users simply dial "#ID" (#43) from any AT&T Wireless phone to initiate the service. When prompted, customers then hold the phone near the music source for approximately 15 seconds. Users will immediately receive a text message on their wireless phone with the name of the song title and recording artist.

"We've all been in a situation where we hear a song that we like, but have no idea of its title or who sings it," said Glenice Maclellan, vice president of messaging services for AT&T Wireless. "Now, your wireless phone can 'name that tune' for you. Song recognition is another example of the numerous ways AT&T Wireless helps inform and entertain our customers - giving them access to some of the industry's broadest selection of multi-dimensional entertainment services."

The new "#ID" music service is provided by San Francisco-based Musicphone in cooperation UK-based Shazam Entertainment, which operates a propriety recognition database of more than one million recorded songs. AT&T Wireless customers can trial the music recognition service at no charge beyond standard airtime charges when they first dial "#ID." Afterwards, the service costs US$.99 cents, plus standard airtime charges, each time they use it.