Sky is to sell music online via the broadband internet connections that come with most of its satellite television dishes.
The broadcaster plans to sell music using a subscription-based model under which users are charged a monthly fee for unlimited song downloads.
The venture is an audacious attempt to break into the massive - and growing - online music market.
Last year, income from music CDs fell 8 per cent to ?856million. But money from music downloads rose 48 per cent to ?106million.
The market-leading online music store is Apple's iTunes. Users access the iTunes webpage and pay for songs, or albums which they download to their computer. The tracks can then be transferred on to a portable digital music player such as an iPod.
It is thought the Sky Songs system, to be launched next Monday, will appeal to those who regularly buy a lot of music. It will cost from ?6.49 a month for limited downloads but the unlimited package will cost more.
The broadcaster plans to sell music using a subscription-based model under which users are charged a monthly fee for unlimited song downloads.
The venture is an audacious attempt to break into the massive - and growing - online music market.
Last year, income from music CDs fell 8 per cent to ?856million. But money from music downloads rose 48 per cent to ?106million.
The market-leading online music store is Apple's iTunes. Users access the iTunes webpage and pay for songs, or albums which they download to their computer. The tracks can then be transferred on to a portable digital music player such as an iPod.
It is thought the Sky Songs system, to be launched next Monday, will appeal to those who regularly buy a lot of music. It will cost from ?6.49 a month for limited downloads but the unlimited package will cost more.
