Mobile giant Nokia has announced a deal with wireless broadband provider The Cloud, which will see customers get free access to the new Nokia Music Store while in range of any one of over 7,500 Wi-Fi hotspots.
"If I am out and about and I hear a track in a shop or a friend recommends something, I want to be able to download it immediately – not wait until I get home," said Owen Geddes, director of Business Development at The Cloud.
"It is this immediacy that The Cloud caters for. The high speed connectivity of Wi-Fi means it is the only real choice for consumers wanting fast and easy access to all types of multimedia content on the go."
With a single account, music lovers can access the Nokia Music Store via their laptop computer or directly from certain Nokia devices through Wi-Fi, beginning with the Nokia N81 and Nokia N95 8GB.
Individual tracks cost 80p each with albums from £8. The Nokia Music Store also offers a flat rate subscription allowing users to stream music to their PC for £8 per month.
Tracks are typically stored at 192Kbps audio in Windows Media Audio (WMA) format, and users can transfer purchased songs between the PC and Nokia device using Windows Media Player or with the new Nokia Music PC client available next year.
Cloud Wi-Fi networks are available in wide range of popular locations including McDonalds, Coffee Republic, BAA airports and across London's Square Mile. Just select 'Wi-Fi Zone – The Cloud' as an access point to start browsing and downloading.
"Browsing and downloading tracks over Wi-Fi with The Cloud is a great way to enjoy the Nokia Music Store, in an easy and cost effective way," said Richard Sandford, regional manager of Nokia Music in the UK and Ireland.
This deal further highlights Nokia's assault on the likes of Apple in its attempt to be the service of choice for consumers looking to organise and access social networks and content from mobile devices and PCs.
