The agreement between Napster and Ericsson combine the services provided by both companies; Napster’s PC offering and Ericsson’s phone music service. Under the new partnership, a business model was made and presented to the mobile phone operators that would generate a revenue stream for them, likely in the form of royalties.
The new Napster mobile service is expected to be available within the next year, and then will hit other markets such as Asia, Latin America and the U.S.
Chris Gorog, Napster’s Chairman and CEO says: “Ericsson’s world-leading wireless and telecommunications solutions experience, along with their exceptional client base, make them the ideal partner to deepen Napster’s presence in the global mobile arena.”
“Ericsson and Napster are uniquely suited to offer mobile operators a simple, cohesive and personalized digital music experience for their consumers,” he adds.
The new service allows subscribers to access Napster from either their cell phone or a PC.