Genie to provide music over your mobile

Justin Pearse ZDNet.co.uk

Published: 01 Mar 2000 13:13 GMT

BT Cellnet's Genie service got a boost on Tuesday when it launched an exclusive content service from music giant EMI that will be delivered straight to capable mobiles.

G Live Music Zone will provide Genie subscribers with news, interviews and exclusive sound clips from EMI and Virgin recording artists.

The service is being set up to act as a "mobile music portal", according to Genie music manager, Simon Robinson. And with the arrival of broadband GPRS networks, the service will offer users downloads of full tracks from a range of record labels. Robinson says that "we are still testing GPRS delivery systems" and that the service was launched using SMS to make it available to the widest demographic possible.

Content will be delivered as SMS text messages, which will extend it to the majority of mobile phone owners. The messages will contain a number to dial to receive the relevant information.

Subscribers to Cellnet's U prepay youth brand will be charged 5p a minute for the service, while those from other Cellnet packages or networks will be charged the standard tariff for calling U mobiles.

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