MusicStation Next Generation: Music bundled with broadband

By Leslie Katz on 17 February 2009, 9:57am

UK-based music provider Omnifone, which offers unlimited music downloads to mobile phone users, on Monday extended its reach to the broadband arena. A new service called MusicStation Next Generation will let European consumers stream songs and music videos to their computers and set-top boxes.

Omnifone is teaming with Internet service providers and cable companies to provide the service, which will be bundled with monthly contracts, but it did not yet name those partners. It did say it is in talks with Sky.

At a time when ISPs and cable providers are under increasing pressure to eradicate piracy over their networks, Omnifone is playing up the legal-download aspect of its new service.

"Tens of millions of European consumers are engaged in music piracy every day. Whilst government pressure is growing, we also need to deliver alternatives that recognise the needs and desires of the YouTube generation," said Rob Lewis, CEO of Omnifone. "With today's announcement, Omnifone is offering consumers something better than piracy."

Omnifone says it has international licensing agreements in place for unlimited music downloads or streaming with all four major music labels (EMI, Sony BMG, Universal and Warner), as well as thousands of independents.

Omnifone already provides unlimited music services for mobile networks, including Vodafone. It said its MusicStation Next Generation services are expected to be bundled with broadband contracts, and also offered to existing subscribers on a pay-as-you-go basis.

Omnifone is demonstrating the MusicStation Next Generation service on PCs and set-top boxes for the first time at Mobile World Congress in Barcelona.