Memphis in May and Cellular South Team Up to Develop a Mobile Phone
Application for the Month-Long Bluff City Celebration
Memphis, TN (April 29, 2010) - Just in time for the kick-off of a month-long celebration of food, fun and musical entertainment, Memphis in May and Cellular South, the nation's largest privately owned wireless communications provider, have teamed up to commission development of a new mobile phone application that will enable users to create their own personalized experience for some of the largest and most popular events in the Bluff City.
The free Memphis in May application, available for download online at the Android Market for smartphone users, features customized maps, directions, schedules and other premium interactive content for the Beale Street Music Festival, the World Championship Barbecue Cooking Contest, the Sunset Symphony and the Salute to the Republic of Tunisia.
Developed by Resolute Interactive, a Memphis-based full service mobile phone software company, the application allows users to develop personalized schedules, identify key points of interest and navigate around each of the venues during the month-long celebration.
"We're really excited about offering guests and attendees some powerful tools in the palm of their hands to enhance their overall experience at these events," said Diane Hampton, executive vice president of Memphis in May. "Through our collaboration with Cellular South and Resolute Interactive, we've been able to use new high-speed mobile technology and data applications to develop one of the best festival apps in the country."
Starting with the Beale Street Music Festival, which runs from Friday through Sunday at Tom Lee Park, music fans will be able to learn performance times and locations in real-time with GPS, develop a personalized schedule, view an interactive map of key points of interest and do a "high-tech shout out" to artists and groups performing on the various stages by thrusting an interactive "lighter" in the air. The app also allows music fans to submit individual photos through their mobile phones to the festival's special online streaming photo album.
The app has separate sections for the four major events during the month and features similar tabs for performance and demonstration times, locations, schedules and interactive maps for Beale Street, the World Championship Barbecue Cooking Contest, the Sunset Symphony and the Salute to the Republic of Tunisia.
Resolute Interactive CEO Chris Przybyszewski said the mobile services software developer overcame the challenges of an aggressive app development schedule by workly closely with the Memphis in May staff and by using their existing calendar systesm. The integration allowed Memphis in May staff to continuously update artist and performer schedules and details while the development team focused on the major creative elements.
"We know the app is going to be a big hit with music, food and entertainment fans who heavily attend these venues during the month of May," Przybyszewski said. "It's attractive, functional and loaded with valuable information and helpful, interactive tools."
Cellular South, which is the official wireless sponsor of Memphis in May and a long-time stage sponsor at the Beale Street Music Festival, said the collaboration with festival organizers on the app means that consumers will have a free and convenient high-tech tool to help them navigate through the month-long celebration of local and international color, customers, cuisine and culture.
"Smartphones are becoming more and more popular with consumers and relevant, value-based apps for those devices is one of the fastest growing segments in the wireless communications industry," said Jim Richmond, director of Corporate Communications for Cellular South. "We're proud to partner with Memphis and May and Resolute Interactive to develop an app that we know consumers will be excited to use."
Cellular South, which underwrote the cost of the Memphis in May app, also has a link on the main page to its social media (Facebook and Twitter) messages and communications with customers and fans.
About Cellular South
Cellular South is a privately-owned diversified mobile communications company passionately committed to helping customers get the most out of their wireless devices and services. The nation's largest privately owned wireless carrier accomplishes this goal by providing the most reliable and advanced 3G nationwide voice and data network, offering industry-leading family and unlimited flat rate voice, text and mobile web plans and through its online and in-store Discover Centers, which give customers easy, simple and convenient tools, tips, advice and information to get the most out of their mobile phone. For more information, visit www.cellularsouth.com.
About Memphis in May
The Memphis in May International Festival is a month-long celebration of local and international color, customs, cuisine and culture in Memphis, Tennessee – the Bluff City. The kick-off event is the Beale Street Music Festival, which showcases a mix of local, regional, national and international music acts; International Week, a group of events dedicated to the country that is sponsored (2010 is Tunisia); the World Championship Barbecue Cooking Contest, one of the most popular barbecue contests in the country where contestants vie for a $110,000 cash prize and the Sunset Symphony, a night of classical music.
