SingTel AMPed - True Unlimited Mobile Music Download
As mobile device manufacturers try to oust each other with their add-on online music services, service provider SingTel is also in the thick of the action, especially so with their new SingTel AMPed music download service. Full details and analysis of this newly launched service, right after the jump.
SingTel AMPed - True Unlimited Mobile Music Download
Online music distribution seems like the way to go if we look at how the big tech players in the market have been doing it for the past few months. Apple started it all with its iTunes Store. In the industry's efforts to bring more to the table, both Nokia and Sony Ericsson have launched their Comes with Music and Sony Ericsson PlayNow plus unlimited music download services respectively.
For those of you who've been keeping track of mobile related news, you might have heard about SingTel's newly launched music download serviced dubbed as SingTel AMPed. Likewise, this is also an unlimited music download service, which is currently backed by Universal Music Group providing a wide range of songs for consumers to download.
SingTel, in conjunction with Universal Music Group, launched a brand new unlimited music download service dubbed as SingTel AMPed which provides data-cost free music download to selected mobile devices with a concurrent SingTel 3G Flexi plan.
Here's a quick look at what you can expect out of the SingTel AMPed service:-
- Unlimited downloads with no data charges - The first of its kind in Singapore, where consumers need not worry about additional data charges if they were to download music using their mobile devices.
- 15 Digital Rights Management (DRM) free tracks given per month over two years - This adds up to a total of 360 DRM-free tracks given to consumers during the two-year contractual period tied to the SingTel 3G Flexi plans.
- Playlist synchronization between device and PC - SingTel AMPed subscribers can choose to download music either on their PC or mobile device, and will be informed via the AMPed application within their device of which songs have been downloaded on either or both the mobile device and PC.
- AMPed Community and exclusive media invites - As part of the social media networking trend, SingTel AMPed users can leave their comments on the SingTel AMPed site and even link it to popular social networking sites that includes Facebook and Twitter. Further along that line, consumers will also receive exclusive invites such as meet-the-stars sessions or exclusive content available only on the SingTel AMPed site.
3G Flexi Lite - AMPed | 3G Flexi - AMPed | 3G Flexi Plus - AMPed | Broadband on Mobile (200MB) - AMPed | |
Monthly Subscription | S$39 | S$56 | S$95 | S$9.90 |
Incoming calls | Free | Free | Free | NA |
Outgoing calls | 100 minutes | 200 minutes | 500 minutes | NA |
SMS | 500 | 500 | 500 | NA |
Free local data for Internet surfing | 500MB | 1GB | 2GB | 200MB |
Local data for music downloading | Unlimited at up to 7.2Mbps download speed (download speed dependent on device) |
So one might ask: How does this differ from all the other unlimited music download services in the market? We lay out some of the key highlights from SingTel, Nokia and Sony Ericsson to give you a better idea of what might work for you in terms of mobile music downloads.
SingTel AMPed | Nokia Comes with Music | Sony Ericsson PlayNow plus | |
Availability | With every sign up of a SingTel 3G Flexi plan or SingTel Broadband on Mobile (200MB) plan | With any purchase of a Nokia Comes with Music device | With any purchase of a Sony Ericsson Walkman W705 PlayNow plus Edition from SingTel |
Service period | 2 years | 1 year | 1 year |
Renewal | Yes, via SingTel 3G Flexi or Broadband on Mobile (200MB) plans | No, required to purchase a new Nokia Comes with Music device | Possible, no exact details given yet of service renewal from SingTel or Sony Ericsson |
Side-loading | No, synchronization of playlists between PC and mobile device only | Yes, via Windows Media Player or Nokia Music PC client | No, requires users to manually send songs between mobile device and PC via Sony Ericsson PlayNow plus |
File format |
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Digital Rights Management | Yes - 15 DRM-free tracks provided every month, total of 360 DRM-free tracks provided over 2-year service | Yes - All tracks downloaded for keeps, tied to Nokia device and PC over 1 year period. | Yes - 200 DRM-free tracks provided at the end of the 1-year service |
It goes to show that the new SingTel AMPed music service is appealing for consumers who look for greater flexibility and cost savings in downloading music straight onto their mobile device. We would say the biggest draw lies in the zero data cost involved when it comes to mobile music downloads. This definitely frees the consumer of any additional 'baggage' that comes with the music download service. For now, music selection is only limited to tracks distributed by Universal Music Group, but SingTel has mentioned that it is in the market to include the other major record labels, though their exact plans haven't been revealed as of now.
So if you're a current SingTel user, all you need to do is dial *26733 to register your current SingTel 3G Flexi plan as a Flexi-AMPed plan. You might want to visit SingTel AMPed to check out the song titles offered from SingTel and see if you're sold on this new unlimited music download service.
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