COPENHAGEN, Denmark (Hypebot) – UPDATE: UNION DEMANDS PORTABILITY
Denmark's largest phone company TDC has begun offering free downloads to its customers. EMI, WMG and SonyBMG and many Danish labels are part of the launch of the million track catalog. TDC claims to be the first telco in the world to provide such a service. Nokia and others are still in talks with the major labels about providing similar services.
"The catch is that the format is WMA and DRM is everywhere," Danish music industry observer Rasmus Ardahl tells Hypebot. "The music is licensed each month and if you change your subscription to another internet or mobile phone provider you loose all the music. Furthermore it can't be transferred to iPods or any other MP3-devices."
"TDC is doing this to capture customers. They were very open about that part," he continues. "The DRM is a result of TDC wanting to boost mp3 on mobile tech, and the labels still being afraid; even EMI and all the indies."
UPDATE From Rasmus Ardahl: "The IT Political union wants the Danish governing body for antitrust to look into it the problem that people can collect large collections of music they will then loose if moving to another service."
