Idea users can download unlimited music from Dhingana sans data charges

Social music streaming site Dhingana.com has tied up with Idea Cellular to offer its music subscription service to the users on the network operator without data charges. The service is available for users only on Android and WAP-based feature phones.

Idea's subscribers on Android will be able to download unlimited songs, albums and playlists, in HD quality and ad-free, as it is available on its paid service Dhingana Gold on iOS but they will not be charged for data. Downloads are encrypted on the device and subscribers can listen them by using only Dhingana's Android app. On the other hand, Idea's WAP subscribers will be able to stream music ad-free without being charged for data.

"With the new music subscription service, over 127 million Idea users will be able to download unlimited music, both on Android-based smartphones and on feature phones," said Sashi Shankar, CMO, Idea Cellular.

Users will still have to pay the usual subscription fee but by waiving data charges the music streaming site will be able to generate greater revenues from both feature phones and the Android segment.

Launched in 2007, Dhingana claimed to have crossed 9 million monthly active unique users globally, in October this year. It is backed by is Helion Venture Partners, Inventus Capital Partners and Lightspeed Venture Partners. Currently, Dhingana offers a library of music across 42 languages and genres, including Hindi, Punjabi, Marathi, English, Tamil, Telugu, Kannada, Gujarati, Assamese, Devotional, Ghazals, etc. Along with mobile apps, the music streaming service is available online to be used on PCs.

(Edited by Joby Puthuparampil Johnson)