Belgian music site steps up to iTunes, customers need to switch

[Bonte]

http://www.standaard.be/Artikel/Detail.aspx?artikelid=GTNNGA7R

A well known internet provider in Belgium (Skynet.be) is closing its WMA music store and becoming the Belgian representative for iTunes. The current contract with British OD2 stops 31 march. By selling 1,5 million songs in 2005 Skynet is one of the biggest online music stores in Belgium but now prefers the more popular iTunes.

From the article (my translation from Dutch to English that is) : "Skynet becomes the local platform of iTunes Belgium. Mid 2006 the purchased tunes are added to the monthly internet connection bill"

So iTunes is now actively recruiting local stores to cooperate in there music business, Apple clearly isn't offering this to everybody but just selected partners witch is a good thing. Local artists are now also flocking to the store with new albums almost added daily probably fueled by Skynet.

Is this a first?

 

[kiwi-in-uk]

It would make sense to me if Skynet became a billing method for iTunes (i.e it would be super-easy for Skynet internet customers to buy iTunes tracks & then pay via the monthly Skynet bill).

But it would confuse me if Skynet became THE (i.e. the sole) licensee or proprietor of iTunes Belgium.

 

[mkrishnan]

So iTunes is now actively recruiting local stores to cooperate in there music business, Apple clearly isn't offering this to everybody but just selected partners witch is a good thing. Local artists are now also flocking to the store with new albums almost added daily probably fueled by Skynet.

What do you think it *means* to be a local rep of iTunes? Is this basically just a packaging deal (like if iTunes came on the AOL cd and had links on AOL's home page, or something like this), or has Apple somehow outsourced some component of iTunes to this company?

 

[Bonte]

They clearly state to be the "local platform" for iTunes but don't specify exactly what. They do the billing, actively promote the iTunes store and i think they contract the local artists to. The Belgium iTunes store had no local artists and thats changing rapidly now.

It really looks like Apple and Skynet are working together and this is very promising. Maybe Belgium is a special market because we don't have an Apple administration in the country but its a good sign that Apple is finally working together with local company's. Credit cards are not really popular for online purchasing here so this solution via Skynet (Belgacom) is perfect for this region.

 

[Bonte]

What do you think it *means* to be a local rep of iTunes? Is this basically just a packaging deal (like if iTunes came on the AOL cd and had links on AOL's home page, or something like this), or has Apple somehow outsourced some component of iTunes to this company?

Apple will continue to sell music via the store, Skynet is an extra option. The links on the site brings up iTunes and all music bought is put on the Skynet internet bill.

The owner of Skynet (Belgacom) is also the biggest telephone company, the only ADSL provider and just started with digital TV via the telephone network. Local video content in the store is next?

 

[iMeowbot]

Belgacom got into some sort of major iPod/iTunes reseller arrangement about a month or two ago, didn't they? Presumably this latest announcement is an extension of that.

 

[26139]

Yeah...

I know it sounds paranoid and stupid...but I just don't trust any tech company named Skynet....I saw T2.

 

[redeye be]

Yep, i got an e-mail about that. Being on a tight budget i don't buy my own newspaper. That saturday i met one of the "bigger" skynet guys in an ( ) applecenter in Brussels.
I should have known, i should have asked.

My guess is that they will offer a slightly different layout (skynet stuff on it etc) for people who signed up through some sort of reseller-signup-process or something.

We'll probably know someday. And i'm getting 20 free songs, because i activated my skynet music club account a while ago (for which i got 1000 credits (1 cd or 10 songs)), without cost.

It's cool something like this is happening in .be, and i hope it will offer local artists some benefits.
I'm just a bit worried about belgacom taking over the business. They screwed up on the implementation of their version of interactive tv - cutting your bandwidth for surfing to pre-broadband speeds.

Let's see how things evolve.

Oh yes, a month, probably two months ago they started selling iPods in their shops.

 

[Bonte]

Belgacom got into some sort of major iPod/iTunes reseller arrangement about a month or two ago, didn't they? Presumably this latest announcement is an extension of that.

A few months ago Belgacom began selling ipods in there tele-stores and a few years back they even sold Mac computers, same as in Holland btw. But as far as i can see this is the first time Apple uses a reseller for the iTunes store (except maybe for AOL and Google) and hopefully more to come. If this trend keeps on this will effectively mute the biggest argument the competition has.

I think the Microsoft branded MP3 player is on its way and Apple is working on countermeasures.

 

[Bonte]

Macworld has found an English news page about the subject.

http://brusselsreview.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=196&Itemid=26