Cingular Cell Phone Users to Get Music Options

Cingular Wireless will soon join forces with XM Satellite Radio and Web music services from Yahoo and Napster to enable its cell phone subscribers to play music transferred from their computers to their handsets, Reuters reports via WashingtonPost.com.

The news comes from “people familiar with the matter” who spoke with Reuters on Wednesday. Cingular is expected to make a formal announcement on Thursday.

Cingular is following in the footsteps of rival cell carriers Sprint Nextel and Verizon Wireless, which both already offer music download services to their customers, as well as the option of syncing music on their computers to their phones, according to Reuters.

The firms are trying to capitalize on the popularity of Apple Computer’s iPod digital music player and others like it by offering music, video and games for use by cell subscribers.

Cingular users will be able to transfer music from their PCs via Yahoo and Napster services and a number of XM Satellite Radio online music pages, Reuters reports.

A number of analysts and websites have speculated in recent days that Apple would offer its first “iPhone” via Cingular sometime during 2007, though Apple has not provided confirmation. Cingular’s expected announcement regarding the partnership between it, Yahoo and Napster could affect any plans Apple and the carrier may have had to team up, because it would be in competition with Apple’s market-leading iTunes Store.

Cingular is a joint venture between AT&T and BellSouth, according to Reuters.

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