Virgin DAB-bles in radio downloads
While we were cooing over the Virgin Mobile Lobster phone's ability to download TV via its DAB receiver we quite forgot about another possibility: mus
While we were cooing over the Virgin Mobile Lobster phone’s ability to download TV via its DAB receiver we quite forgot about another possibility: music downloads. It seems, though, that DAB is perfectly capable of delivering full music tracks to handsets. A trial in Birmingham with Heart FM has been so successful that the service is ready to be rolled out nationally.Take HeartFull details are yet to be confirmed but talks are currently taking place with Virgin Mobile to launch the service on its DAB TV equipped handset (pictured) in January. Taking impulse buying to a whole new level, users listening to Heart’s digital output will be able to buy music as it’s played out. Tracks look set to cost a pricey £1.25 but will be ‘dual download’ so you’ll get a passable quality track for the phone and then a high quality file for downloading later on your PC.The company behind the technology, UBC Media, tells us it could even make launch by Christmas. We’re promised more details early next month so stay tuned.
Heart FM DAB downloads Price: £1.25 On sale: TBA (expected January) Contact: UBC Media Group Related links: Virgin Mobile Heart FMRelated stories: Hands-on with Virgin’s TV phone Virgin TV phone reborn as ‘Lobster’
Dan Grabham
Editor-in-Chief