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Social Responsibility and Youth Homelessness Awareness Paired with Eclectic Music Lineup: All-Day Action Drives Fan Enthusiasm at 2011 Virgin Mobile FreeFest Presented by KYOCERA

Kyocera brings Japanese culture, philanthropy and sustainability to create one-of-a-kind experience for concert goers

WARREN, N.J., Sep 09, 2011 -- With some of the most relevant, important and eclectic artists scheduled to perform at the 2011 Virgin Mobile FreeFest presented by Kyocera, this year's event will be memorable not only for its great experience for music fans, but also for benefiting young people in need. In addition to Virgin Mobile's youth homelessness initiative, The Re*Generation, presenting sponsor Kyocera will also be drawing attention to disaster relief in Japan, allowing fans to donate to those in need through its activities on-site.

Money raised by Kyocera before and at FreeFest will benefit the Red Cross and homeless youth organizations working with Virgin Mobile USA, including Green Chimneys, Sasha Bruce Youthwork, StandUp For Kids and the National Association for the Education of Homeless Children & Youth. This year's efforts will add to the nearly $300,000 that has been raised and more than 55,000 hours of volunteer service that has been generated during the last two years.

Kyocera Attractions

On-site activities from FreeFest's presenting sponsor, Kyocera, are inspired by the company's philosophy of keeping the past close to heart while helping invent a better future. Environmental and social responsibility are requisite to Kyocera's work and are reflected in the unique experiences for fans at this year's FreeFest.

This year's activities are designed to be enjoyable for concert attendees while supporting disaster-relief efforts in Japan on the six-month anniversary of March's devastating earthquake and tsunami.

"Kyocera is thrilled to bring our philosophies and culture to this year's FreeFest," said Eric Anderson, senior vice president and general manager of sales and marketing at Kyocera Communications Inc. "We hope to give festival goers an experience they won't forget by connecting great music with interactive elements reflective of our philosophies, while contributing to charitable initiatives."

Kyocera's "Echo Temple" is inspired by the Kyocera Echo, the nation's first dual-touchscreen smartphone, and is focused on bringing to life Japanese tradition steeped in spirituality. Cutting-edge technology from The Moving Picture Company is used to bring supernatural elements to life and captivate festival goers. As concert attendees move through the temple it will feel as though ancient Japanese spirits have sensed their presence, greeting them with harmonious sounds. This one-of-a-kind experience is composed of a circle of speakers connected to motion sensors, which let festival goers make sounds from their movement. As guests dance, walk and move they will be able to create unique musical experiences.

Finally, Kyocera Relaxation Huts will provide peaceful places for festival guests to take a break from rocking out. In exchange for recycling a bottle or can, guests will receive a sustainable, reusable water bottle and unlimited refills of fresh, cool water at a Kyocera Restoring Well.

For the first time, fans unable to attend this year's Virgin Mobile FreeFest will be able to enjoy the great music on Dailymotion.com via a live stream at http://www.dailymotion.com/sas/freefest2011 .

Giving Back

Japanese calligraphy is a beautiful art form that festival goers will have a chance to experience first hand. For a suggested $5 donation to the Red Cross, a traditional Japanese artist will produce a customized character painting on a Kyocera-branded FreeFest T-shirt. Well-known painter Mike Ming will be one of the artists hand painting T-shirts.

A Japanese legend promises that anyone who folds a thousand origami cranes will be granted a wish. Kyocera will ask fans to collectively earn one wish, a wish for Japan's ongoing recovery. For a suggested donation of $1 to the Red Cross, fans will fold cranes and the finished cranes will be hung among the trees at Merriweather Post Pavilion to create a beautiful display.

For music fans who cannot be at FreeFest but wish to support the Red Cross's efforts in Japan, on Sept. 10 Kyocera will be donating $1 for every new Kyocera follower on Facebook or Twitter (@KyoceraMobile) and every tweet with the hashtag #kyoceramobile, up to $5,000 total.

"Virgin Mobile FreeFest is all about giving back to the fans," said Felicia Hill, manager of Viral Campaigns & Brand Initiatives, Virgin Mobile USA. "Now we're hoping fans will continue the circle to give back to those in need. Our fans make us proud each year with their generous acts and enthusiasm for the music and causes and we expect nothing but good will and good karma again this year."

Although FreeFest is free, and thousands of lucky fans scooped up tickets in just minutes on www.facebook.com/virginmobilelive , Virgin Mobile's FREE I.P. program allowed those without a ticket the opportunity to volunteer their time to earn their way into this year's festival. Those who did not have the chance to volunteer through the FREE I.P. program can still contribute to the cause by texting FREEFEST to 85944 from their mobile phones to give a $10 donation(1).

At FreeFest there will also be numerous ways to give back, including riding a Ferris wheel and ziplining -- with all proceeds going to The RE*Generation -- or by purchasing a drink at the Karma Bar, where $1 of every drink sold goes to The RE*Generation. Virgin Mobile is encouraging music fans everywhere to soak up some good karma and help youth in need.

About Virgin Mobile FreeFest

The 2011 Virgin Mobile FreeFest will be hosted Saturday, Sept. 10, for the third year on the beautiful 40 wooded acres of Merriweather Post Pavilion in Columbia, Md. Those scheduled to appear at this year's FreeFest are The Black Keys, Deadmau5, Cee Lo Green, TV on the Radio, Patti Smith, Empire of the Sun, Cut Copy, Grace Potter & The Nocturnals, Okkervil River, Big Sean, Two Door Cinema Club, Alberta Cross, and Bombay Bicycle Club. The Dance Forest will feature James Murphy, Calvin Harris, Ghostland Observatory, !!!, Porter Robinson, Eclectic Method, and Teddybears. More information is available at www.virginmobilefreefest.com .

About Virgin Mobile USA

Virgin Mobile USA, one of Sprint's prepaid brands, offers millions of customers control, flexibility and connectivity through Virgin Mobile's Beyond Talk(TM) No Contract plans for mobile phone service and prepaid Broadband2Go high-speed Web access. Virgin Mobile branded devices are available at more than 40,000 retail stores, including Target, Walmart, Best Buy and RadioShack. Top-Up cards are available at approximately 150,000 locations nationwide and can be used for Assurance Wireless and Broadband2Go services. Purchase and experience Virgin Mobile on the Web and at Facebook, Twitter, You Tube and www.virginmobileusa.com .

About Kyocera Communications Inc.

Kyocera Communications Inc. (KCI) is the headquarters for Kyocera- and Sanyo-branded wireless products and accessories in the Americas. The company's devices are driving the convergence of telecommunications, broadband and multimedia. KCI was formed in April 2009 through the combination of Kyocera Wireless Corporation and Kyocera Sanyo Telecommunications Inc., two wholly owned subsidiaries of Kyocera International Inc. The former was created when Kyocera purchased QUALCOMM Inc.'s consumer wireless phone business in 2000, while the latter was formed when Kyocera purchased the wireless phone business of Sanyo Electric Co., Ltd. in 2008. Based in San Diego, KCI leverages Japan's history of creating advanced consumer technologies around humanism and respect for the environment and blending them with a Western entrepreneurialism and style, resulting in a unique design language and a natural, user-friendly interface. For more information, please visit http://www.kyocera-wireless.com or follow the company on Facebook at www.facebook.com/kyoceramobilephones or Twitter at @kyoceramobile.

Kyocera Corporation /quotes/zigman/194992/quotes/nls/kyo KYO -3.50% (tokyo:6971) ( http://global.kyocera.com/ ), the parent and global headquarters of the Kyocera Group, was founded in 1959 as a producer of fine ceramics (also known as "advanced ceramics"). By combining these engineered materials with metals and plastics, and integrating them with other technologies, Kyocera has become a leading supplier of telecommunications equipment, copiers, printers, solar power generating systems, electronic components, semiconductor packages, cutting tools and industrial ceramics. During the year ended March 31, 2011, the company's net sales totaled 1.27 trillion yen (approx. USD15.3 billion). The company is ranked #604 on Forbes magazine's 2011 "Global 2000" listing of the world's largest publicly traded companies.

(1) Charges will appear on your wireless bill, or be deducted from your prepaid balance. All purchases must be authorized by account holder. Message and Data Rates May Apply.

SOURCE: Virgin Mobile

        Virgin Mobile
        Beth Evegan, 908-660-0469
        beth.evegan@sprint.com
        or
        Kyocera
        John Chier, 858-882-3543
        john.chier@kyocera.com