Users of Skype Technologies’ popular voice-over IP application can buy a greater selection of ringtones under a deal the company has reached with four music publishers, it said Tuesday.

The licensing deals are with Warner/Chappell Music, EMI Music Publishing, Sony/ATV Music and the MCPS-PRS Alliance, which oversees song licensing and distribution of royalties in the United Kingdom.

Skype, which was purchased by eBay in October, is currently selling ringtones from pop singer Madonna in the Personalize Skype user section. The ringtones are available to customers in the United States, United Kingdom, France, the Netherlands, Belgium and Poland, the company said.

Within weeks, the ringtones will be available to its 94.5 million registered users worldwide, according to Skype. Eventually, the ringtone selection will broaden to include artists such as Green Day, the Red Hot Chili Peppers and more from the publishers’ catalogs, Skype said.

Skype is offering several Madonna songs, ranging from one of her first singles, 1983’s "Lucky Star," to her newest, "Sorry," for 1.50 euros (US$1.86), at personal.skype.com.

-Jeremy Kirk, IDG News Service

For related news coverage, read Skype Defends Chinese Partner’s Censorship.

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