Virgin Mobile USA and MTV2 Invite Music Fans To 'Book The Band' That Will Open 2007 Virgin Festival by Virgin Mobile

Virgin Mobile USA and MTV2 Invite Music Fans To 'Book The Band' That Will Open 2007 Virgin Festival by Virgin Mobile

New Short-Form Reality Show Debuting June 15 on MTV2 Lets Viewers Choose One of 5 Budding Bands To Perform

Kyocera Wireless - Premiere Handset Sponsor of the 2007 Virgin Festival By Virgin Mobile and "Book The Band By Virgin Mobile"

WARREN, N.J., June 13 /PRNewswire/ -- Leading wireless youth network Virgin Mobile USA today announced a partnership with MTV2 and Kyocera Wireless to launch "Book the Band By Virgin Mobile" - a new short-form music program profiling five emerging bands with different sounds who share the same goal: to be the opening act at this summer's Virgin Festival By Virgin Mobile being held on August 4-5, 2007 at Pimlico Race Course(R) in Baltimore, MD and featuring The Police, The Smashing Pumpkins, and Beastie Boys. "Book the Band By Virgin Mobile," hosted by Jim Shearer, will debut on MTV2 on Friday, June 15, appearing each week as segments on "T-Minus Rock" (weekdays at 11am) and "Subterranean" (Sundays at 1am) through the voting period which ends July 20. MTV2 will then announce the winning band on a final bonus episode during the week of July 27. Episodes will also appear on MTV2's "Saturday Rock" series in July.

(Logo:

http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20070613/VIRGINMOBILE )

Bands participating in "Book the Band By Virgin Mobile" -- presented by premiere handset sponsor Kyocera Wireless -- are:

-- AIDEN, a post hard-core band from Seattle, WA
-- COLD WAR KIDS, indie blues rock band from Fullerton, CA
-- THE HIGHER, the pop/rock band from Las Vegas, NV
-- MUTE MATH, playing electro alternative rock from New Orleans, LA
-- SAY ANYTHING, alternative rock band from Los Angeles, CA

At the end of each episode, viewers will be directed to http://www.virginfestival.com/

where they can stream original music, read bios, watch the MTV2 vignettes and, most importantly, vote for their favorite band. In July, audience voting will decide which band will head to Virgin Festival By Virgin Mobile. Fans can also vote via text message on any carrier by sending the band's short code name to 68710 (standard text messaging rates apply):

--SAY ANYTHING (text "SAY" to 68710)
--MUTE MATH (text "MUTE" to 68710)
--COLD WAR KIDS (text "COLDWAR" to 68710)
--THE HIGHER (text "HIGHER" to 68710)
--AIDEN (text "AIDEN" to 68710)

"Virgin Mobile is committed to satisfying the needs of our audience, which is so passionate about music," said Howard Handler, chief marketing officer, Virgin Mobile USA. "'Book the Band By Virgin Mobile' lets fans take on the role of concert promoter and help create part of the Virgin Festival By Virgin Mobile line-up. We particularly enjoy helping consumers discover hot new artists and are excited both about this new element for the Virgin Festival and our ongoing MTV partnership."

"We are always looking for new ways to explore and showcase music with our audience here at MTV -- on-air, online, everywhere," said Tim Rosta, senior vice president, Integrated Marketing, MTV. "Virgin Mobile shares our passion for music, and together we are excited to put the power with the fans to determine which up-and-coming band deserves to make it to the main stage."

In support of this program, http://www.virginfestival.com/ will feature MP3 files of band tunes and their tour dates. Fans can also view episodes of "Book the Band By Virgin Mobile" online after they air on television.

About Virgin Mobile USA, LLC:

The nation's leading wireless youth network, Virgin Mobile USA provides more than 4.8 million customers with control, flexibility and choice in wireless service, rich data content and innovative products without annual contracts. Voice pricing plans range from monthly options with unlimited nights and weekends to by-the-minute offers, allowing consumers to adjust how and what they pay according to their needs. Virgin Mobile's full slate of smart, stylish and affordable handsets, including the popular Switch_Back and Slice, are available at top retailers in more than 35,000 locations nationwide and online at http://www.virginmobileusa.com/, with Top-Up cards available at more than 130,000 locations.

Virgin Mobile USA's national coverage is powered by the Nationwide Sprint PCS(R) Network, and the company, which launched in 2002, is a joint venture between Sir Richard Branson's Virgin Group and Sprint Nextel. J.D. Power and Associates has ranked Virgin Mobile highest in customer satisfaction among wireless prepaid services, and its own customers report a 94% satisfaction rate. Virgin Mobile contributes 5% of profits from downloadable content to The RE*Generation, its pro-social initiative to help homeless teens, through donations to charitable partners or funding of programs that support and raise awareness for young people in need; and provides postage-paid return envelopes in every new package for customers to recycle old phones.

About MTV Networks

MTV Networks, a unit of Viacom International Inc., is one of the world's leading creators of programming and content across all media platforms. MTV Networks, with 135 channels worldwide, owns and operates the following television programming services - MTV: MUSIC TELEVISION, MTV2, VH1, mtvU, NICKELODEON, NICK at NITE, COMEDY CENTRAL, TV LAND, SPIKE TV, CMT, NOGGIN, LOGO, MTVN INTERNATIONAL and THE DIGITAL SUITE FROM MTV NETWORKS, a package of 13 digital services, all of these networks are trademarks of MTV Networks. MTV Networks connects with its audiences through its robust consumer products businesses and its more than 80 interactive properties worldwide, including online, broadband, wireless and interactive television services and also has licensing agreements, joint ventures and syndication deals whereby all of its programming services can be seen worldwide.

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Photo:

http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20070613/VIRGINMOBILE
AP Archive:

http://photoarchive.ap.org/
PRN Photo Desk, photodesk@prnewswire.com
Source: Virgin Mobile USA, LLC

CONTACT: Jennifer DeGuzman of MTV, +1-212-258-7175,
Jennifer.deguzman@mtvstaff.com; or Jayne Wallace of Virgin Mobile USA,
+1-908-607-4014, jayne.wallace@virginmobileusa.com; or Alysa McKenna of
CooperKatz & Co., +1-212-455-8023, amckenna@cooperkatz.com

Web site:

http://www.virginmobileusa.com/
http://www.virginfestival.com/

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