Sony Ericsson Plans Mobile Music Download Service

Verizon Wireless teamed with Rhapsody to allow customers to download music in the United States earlier this year.

"In a few weeks' time this service will be available with Telenor," said Lennard Hoornik, Sony Ericsson's marketing head.

Play Now Plus will be available through Norway-based mobile communications provider Telenor. Sony Ericsson's mobile music play will allow customers to sign up for a 6 to 18 month long agreement and even allow customers to keep up to 300 downloaded songs after the contract's agreement has expired.

Nokia's Comes with Music service allows users to download an unlimited amount of songs to their mobile phone for a year. The service may cost up to an additional 70 pounds.

"It is a further music offer in an increasingly crowded market, designed to compete with Nokia's Comes with Music," Paolo Pescatore, analyst with research firm CCS Insight, told Reuters.

Initially, Play Now Plus, through Telenor, will be available for customers in Sweden with plans to expand. The goal is to offer the service in other Western European countries in the middle of the first quarter in 2009, and to other parts of the world by the second quarter.

Play Now Plus will cost consumers $15 a month in addition to their existing services.