Nokia Signs Free WiFi Deal For Music Store With UK’s The Cloud

Mimicking Apple’s (NSDQ: AAPL) deal to give iPhone and iPod Touch users free WiFi access to the iTunes Music Store at Starbucks hotspots, Nokia (NYSE: NOK) has signed a deal with British WiFi provider The Cloud to give users of the Nokia Music Store free access to it from any of The Cloud’s 7,500 WiFi hotspots. The cost of mobile data on cellular networks is a significant barrier to uptake of the Nokia Music Store; this deal with The Cloud will offer users another way, in addition to sideloading, to get tracks onto their device without having to pay for delivery as well as paying for the content.

It’s widely assumed that Nokia is trying to come to some sort of arrangement with mobile operators so that users of its Music Store won’t have to pay data costs on top of the price of content, but many mobile operators’ plans for their own music stores could preclude such deals. Nokia’s agreement with The Cloud could be interpreted as a sign to operators that it’s not going to wait around, and that it will pursue other distribution channels that could leave operators out of the loop. (release)

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