Omnifone's MusicStation to take on iPhone

Twenty-three mobile network operators have signed up for a taste of the mobile music service. Users will be required to pay a weekly subscription fee of just under £2 in exchange for unlimited music downloads. Omnifone’s MusicStation will be competing against Apple’s recent and much discussed iPhone launch, and other iTunes-compatible phones. Keeping an upper hand in the market could be difficult, a possible reason for offering the service for less than £2 per week. Omnifone’s CEO, Rob Lewis said: “MusicStation will give users of any music-capable handset the ability to legally access, download and enjoy an unlimited amount of music, from a global music catalogue supported by the music industry, all for a small weekly fee, wherever they are."

So far Omnifone has not announced names of any European mobile networks that have signed up to the service, but has confirmed that four European operators will be added later this year. Mr Lewis said: "We will ensure that the vast majority of Europeans have the freedom to chose MusicStation by the time the iPhone arrives in Europe.”