Nokia to start music service with UK launch

Helsinki: Mobile phone maker Nokia said yesterday it would launch its 'Comes with Music' package with an offering in Britain, signing a deal with Carphone Warehouse to sell the first model.

A source familiar with the deal told Reuters the phone would go on sale next month.

The free music package is a cornerstone of the cellphone maker's push into the services business, but also sets a trend for other gadget makers, like Apple, to follow.

Nokia says its 'Comes with Music' package will differ from other market offerings because it will allow users to keep all the music they have downloaded during the 12 months.

Universal, Sony BMG and Warner Music Group have signed deals with Nokia to offer their tracks on the service, bringing the world's three largest labels on board.

Meanwhile Carphone will get exclusive rights for unsubsidised Nokia 5310 XpressMusic 'Comes with Music' edition sales in Britain, the Finnish company said in a statement.

Nokia has not unveiled sales numbers for the almost year-old 5310 model, one of its first mid-tier music phones, but it said that in the January-March quarter it sold more than four million units of its 5310 and 5610 models combined.

Nokia, which plans to roll out further details about its music service on October 2, said Carphone would start taking British pre-orders, but declined to say when sales would start or offer any pricing information.

The ailing music industry is struggling to find ways to make up for falling CD sales and the digital music market totalled just $2.9 billion in 2007.