Vodacom and Omnifone are partnering to bring consumers a mobile music service backed by all four of the major global music studios.
MusicStation is to become available as of 1 December in SA and will offer more than a million tracks from Universal, Sony, BMG, EMI and Warner Music, as well as independent labels.
The music will be offered through a subscription service, set to cost in the region of R25 per week.
Warren Carley, commercial director for Omnifone, says: "With no iTunes store, low levels of computer ownership and limited broadband penetration, accessing legal digital music has been almost impossible in SA."
According to Carley, there may well be subscription services available to get music onto cellphones, but the Omnifone and Vodacom partnership is the first to make available such vast numbers of tracks on an "unlimited" basis.
MultiStation is based on an "all you can eat" model, where songs are not streamed onto phones, but downloaded directly with play-lists being available online.
According to Rob Wells, senior VP for digital aspects at the Universal Music Group International, says: "SA has the opportunity to leapfrog many European countries in digital music distribution" by making music available to those who cannot afford CDs.
Pete Downton, VP of business development and strategic partnerships for Warner Music International, echoes this sentiment: "The potential for mobile music in SA is extremely exciting."
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