(CNET News.com) - Cell phone operators want a piece of the mobile music market, but to cash in they have to offer services that allow subscribers to download songs over their networks instead of from their PCs.
So far, Verizon Wireless and Sprint Nextel are the only two major U.S. carriers offering such a service, with modest success. Sprint, which a year ago became the first, claims that more than 8 million songs have been downloaded since it launched the service. And Verizon, which launched its service in February, claims to be selling more than 1 million downloads per month, reports Trend.
Now, Cingular Wireless, the largest mobile operator in terms of total subscribers, wants a piece of the action too. The carrier, owned jointly by BellSouth and AT&T, announced on Thursday that it's partnering with Napster, Yahoo Music, XM Satellite Radio and eMusic to offer a new music download service that will eventually offer users the option of downloading music over the Cingular network.
News of the deal was first reported Wednesday by The Wall Street Journal. Initially, the service will only allow songs to be downloaded onto phones from users' computers, but starting next year it will allow what is known as over-the-air downloads directly to phones, the article said.
Cingular is no stranger to the mobile music business. Last year, it partnered with Apple Computer and Motorola to offer the Rokr, one of only a few phones that plays audio tracks purchased from Apple's iTunes music store. The carrier is also rumored to be working with Apple on the upcoming iPhone, which could be launched as soon as January.
But up until now, the company hasn't discussed plans for a service that would allow subscribers to download music over the Cingular network.
"By offering the service over their own network, Cingular gets to control the selection of songs and the customer relationship," said Susan Kevorkian, an analyst with IDG. "But it has to be careful that if it launches its own branded music service, that it doesn't muddy the waters with other partners like Apple, which it will now be competing against."
A Cingular representative made it clear that Cingular is still working with Apple.
"Apple is a wonderful partner," said Mark Siegel, a spokesman for Cingular. "And we expect them to remain a wonderful partner for us."
...