Warner, BMG to use phone technology

Cyberbiz Brief

By BEN FRITZ

As digital music services continue to sprout online, Warner Music and BMG took first steps toward extending the business to mobile phones, agreeing to use a new anti-piracy technology that allows people to purchase and download tracks onto their phones.

Called OMA DRM, the technology comes from Swiss firm Beep Science and allows the labels to control the usage of their songs and collect revenue for tracks downloaded or swapped to other users.

The two labels will begin offering mobile downloads in Europe, where cellular technology is more advanced.