Music subscription 'won't stop illegal downloads'

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Music subscription 'won't stop illegal downloads'

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By Editorial Team (Friday, 10th October 2008)

An expert in the industry has said that music subscription services, such as those offered by Nokia's Comes With Music package, will not stop illegal downloads.

Nokia's package offers customers the opportunity to purchase a pay-as-you-go mobile phone for a one off fee.

After this, buyers would have unlimited access to a library of online music for 18 months. Among the record labels that are signed up are Sony BMG, EMI and Warner Music.

Joe Minihane, online news editor of Stuff.tv noted that the system would be good for "kids looking to grab a few songs" but said that it would not prevent the illegal download market.

He commented: "It's not going to stop it no matter what Nokia think. It's a good idea and a novel way of doing things but MP3 downloads are the way forward."

Mr Minihane noted that MP3s can be downloaded and copied as many times as the user wishes which makes them more appealing than subscription services such as the one Nokia is offering.

He added that this is the way that music spreads and said that this would spell the end of hard copies such as CDs.

The fundamental problem with Nokia's system with regards to minimising illegitimate MP3s is that they are "digitally shackled" to computers and cannot be transferred, according to Mr Minihane.

A recent survey by Ofcom found that 77 per cent of people did not realise that file sharing was illegal.

Of these half believe that downloads should be available free of charge.