SMS to pay for Rent, the musical

December 10, 2007

Theatregoers in London may receive SMS tickets to see the musical Rent

Ticket Text launched on the market as a new ticketing agency that delivers tickets via text messages (SMS), opening up a new customer acquisition channel in the British events market.

Using Ticket Text's mobile technology, customers will receive their tickets as unique barcodes sent via text message straight to their mobile phone. For example, customers can simply take their phone to London’s Duke of York Theatre to see the musical Rent and then scan the barcode to gain entry.

"We don't charge clients for using our ticketing software or for the scanning equipment that we install, so the economics of using us makes sense," said Mark McLaughlin, CEO of Ticket Text, Dublin, Ireland.

"We also don't charge postage and packaging fees as there are none, which encourages more tickets to be sold," he said.

The service delivers tickets via SMS and allows customers to print at home for sporting events, theatre, concerts and exhibitions.

“We are selling tickets for West End theatre, Premiership Football at Fulham, art fairs and music concerts with more cultural events to be added shortly,” Mr. McLaughlin said.

Ticket Text on Nov. 30 announced a deal with Mama Group to use the mobile ticketing solution across 18 venues in Britain, including The Hammersmith Apollo, London Forum and Jazz Café.

In addition to ticketing for events, Ticket Text has signed an exclusive deal with Europe's Ryanair to sell tickets via the airline’s Web site to its 52 million customers.

"We think that there is an alternative ticketing business model, one where technology creates an environment to sell tickets without over-inflated postage and packaging fees," Mr. McLaughlin said.