Vodafone Hangs Up on DRM

Vodafone Hangs Up on DRM

by Chloe Albanesius

DRM-free music is coming to Vodafone. The U.K.-based company has signed deals with Universal Music Group, Sony Music Entertainment, and EMI Music to offer copyright-free tracks via the Vodafone Music Store for mobile phones and PCs. Customers who have already purchased Universal, Sony, or EMI music through the store, powered by RealNetworks, will be able to switch them to MP3 format for no charge.

DRM-free tracks will roll out in Germany, Italy, the U.K., Spain and New Zealand by the summer with other countries covered by Vodafone will be added "in due course," the company said.

"By Vodafone pioneering DRM free on mobile and offering MP3s on PC, [customers] will now have the freedom to download tracks from their favorite artists without any device restrictions allowing them to experience their music however they want it, wherever they are," Pieter Knook, Vodafone Internet services director, said in a statement. Vodafone also reportedly is in talks with fellow U.K. mobile phone provider O2 to share its networks.