While music download services have been springing up across the globe over the past year, they all have one thing in common: Music can only be purchased from a PC or Mac. Now Telenor Mobil inNorway has launched Europe's first music download service for mobile phones through its youth brand djuice. This service will initially offer at least a selection of 250 to 300 unique songs and expects to offer music reflecting the music market trend and charts. The music is downloaded to the phone over Telenor's Mobile WAP portal.
Mobile phones compatible with this service are obviously required, but it is not clear what the bit rate or codec of the music will be or whether consumers can transfer their music to their PC. The music is DRM protected and can only be played with the original SIM card present used during the purchase. Music can be transferred to another phone, but can be played if the SIM card from the original phone is also placed in the other phone.
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Full-scale downloading of music will be commercially available throughout the spring, but already in February the first music products will be made available to mobile phones. Through this initiative a brand new music channel directly accessible by the consumers will be established. The music industry and artists will also be offered several new opportunities for product development and dialog with the fans. Large music interest Downloading of music directly to the mobile phone is a unique mobile service. Our customers are among the most advanced young mobile phone users in a highly sophisticated home market. The interest for music products in Norway is large and we enjoy consumers with great capability in using new, innovative services. The mobile phone has developed into a key, integrated communication tool in young people's lifestyle where music is one of the basic fields of interest. This is the main reason behind djuice launching this service in Norway as the first country, says Per Christian Andersen in djuice. The service is easy to use. Telenor Mobile's WAP portal will carry overviews of all music services available at any time. The portal thereafter will define what music products the individual mobile phone is equipped to download from familiar music menus, lists and charts. Prohibits pirate copying Through the use of DRM (Digital Right Management) all downloaded songs are crypto graphed. The songs are not accessible in de-crypto graphed version. The purchase of songs on the mobile phone is authorised by the SIM card. Music transferred to other phones will not be accessible without the original SIM card. In addition, the songs are authorized by hardware in each individual mobile phone. The initial offer will at any time contain 250-300 individual songs. The selection will reflect the trends in the music market, new launches and chart developments. In addition to downloading full-scale songs, several other products such as Real Tones, MMS, licensed background images and Ring Back tones will be made available. |
This appears to be handy way of getting tunes while on the move and don't have time to purchase them online or take a trip to the music store. The other advantage would not have to carry anything other than the phone and a pair of earphones.
Unfortunately there are many drawbacks to using a mobile phone as a portable digital audio player. Should the battery run down you will be left without the ability to make or receive phone calls as well as being left in silence. Most DAP capable mobile phones use HE-AAC audio which is likely what Telenor is using for its service. HE-AAC at 64kbps is only near 128kbps MP3 quality let alone the claimed CD quality at 48kbps. With Telenor's service, it looks like transfer to PC for CD-recording is not allowed. Any music a consumer purchases from Telenor will likely become be lost should the consumer change to another mobile network or cancel their subscription.
Feel free to read and discuss about legal download services as well as file sharing networks on our Music Downloads, P2P & Legal Issues Forum.
Source: Music Industry News Network
