East Japan Railway Co. said Tuesday that it will set up multimedia terminals in stations in February to jointly distribute music in digital format in collaboration with Japan Telecom Co. and the J-Phone group.
A Japan Telecom server will store music data, which will be sold through a Web site, fixed phone lines and next-generation mobile phones, company officials said.
JR East will begin the service in February by establishing 10 multimedia terminals in Tokyo's Shibuya, Shinjuku and Ikebukuro Stations, which will sell music that can be downloaded onto minidisc.
Between 15 and 20 stations will host around 100 terminals by the first half of fiscal 2001, increasing to 200 at between 30 and 40 stations in the second half.
One tune will cost between 150 yen and 500 yen, Japan Telecom officials said.
Ringing melodies or pictures will also be downloadable onto cellular phones from the terminals.
In addition, JR East is considering eventually offering a cellular battery recharging service at the terminals, together with digital photo printing, digital magazines and concert tickets, company officials said.
Similar services will also be downloadable onto personal computers from a web site next December.
Starting dates for similar services for fixed lines or next-generation mobile phones have yet to be determined, company officials said.