broadband news

Sky to enter the online music business

Satellite TV company and broadband provider BSkyB have announced plans to launch an online subscription music service for broadband users. The new service, being created in conjunction with Universal Music, will offer broadband users a new, legal way of downloading and listening to music. The legal online music download business is currently dominated by Apple's iTunes. The new Sky service is being claimed as a 'world first' due to allowing broadband users unlimited music streaming as well as downloads to keep, access to the complete Universal catalogue and the fact that the music will be compatible with any device, including Apple's iPod, due to it being free of DRM copy protection software.

Details of subscription prices have not yet been released but it is thought that a monthly fee will allow broadband users access to unlimited music streaming and a set number of downloads per month. The music industry has recently been putting pressure on broadband providers to crack down on illegal music downloading, which normally sees broadband users swapping tracks through file sharing websites. Measures are being put in place to punish broadband users who continually break the law by restricting their broadband connections, making their broadband speed too slow to allow large downloads. This development by Sky can be seen as a positive step towards offering broadband users decent, legal alternatives to access music online. Lucian Grainge, chairman and chief executive of Universal Music Group said the service would be "a lot more appealing than piracy� to broadban users."

13/08/2008
Author: CompareBroadbandUK staff writer

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