Comcor-TV launches music download in Russia

Comcor-TV (TM AKADO), the Russian cable operator, launched a music download service for its customers using the hosted Music2You (M2Y) solution from Nokia Siemens Networks, enabling secure downloads to Comcor TV’s subscribers.

Nokia Siemens Networks provided to Comcor-TV the fully hosted M2Y solution that enables secure downloads to PCs, thus offering operators additional paths to revenue. M2Y meets the music industry’s requirements for digital rights management (DRM), the purpose of which is to prevent music files from being illegally copied and distributed.

Content is fed onto the network via servers that is maintained, archived and monitored by Nokia Siemens Networks. The decision by Comcor-TV to enter the download market is favored by the new copyright laws in Russia that are expected to be effective from January 1, 2008 and strictly prosecute illegal downloading.

“With this hosted solution from Nokia Siemens Networks, we are able to get ahead of the market and position ourselves as a leading provider of legal entertainment content in Russia and the greater CIS,” said Sergey Alimbekov, General Director at Comcor-TV.

“The growth rate of this music segment is already some 100% annually, and with improved copyright protection, the market now becomes even more interesting. The M2Y platform gives us an opportunity to shape the booming digital entertainment market in Russia.”

Comcor-TV offers triple-play cable TV, internet and voice calls over a single connection. The operator is expanding its range of services to include music downloads that meet international copyright standards, as one of the first Russian providers. The new offering is available at music.akado.ru , the first Russian service offering local charts and contextual information in Russian language.