Mobile ops scorn DRM tariff
p2pnet.net News:- MPEG LA demands for DRM licensing are not only “impractical, excessive and short-sighted, they`re also unworkable, says the GSM Association (GSMA), the trade association for world GSM operators with more than 1.3 billion mobile users.
The words were GSMA ceo Rob Conway`s as he called for an immediate review of the current licensing program proposed by MPEG LA and companies involved in its patent pool for use of the Open Mobile Alliance’s (OMA) Digital Rights Management (DRM) 1.0 standard.
The GSMA believes that members not only view the ‘per device’ fee, as proposed by MPEG LA, as unreasonable and excessive but they also consider the ‘per transaction’ fee as unworkable in the market, Conway says.
He also, noted the Board’s concern as to the potential for fragmentation of services, additional cost, delay and a reduction in future innovation and growth as among the more serious implications of such a scheme for both the mobile and content industries and ultimately for customers.
Craig Ehrlich, chairman of the GSM Association, was equally forthright.
“Based on frank responses from operators throughout the world, our Board understands that members are being ‘forced away’ from the OMA DRM standards by this unworkable licensing scheme,” he said, going on:
“In order to provide the services and content which their customers desire, operators will have no option but to take their own routes toward implementing proprietary DRM solutions. These solutions may have lower licensing costs, but will ultimately introduce problems for customers when roaming, changing networks or exchanging content with other users.”
The GSMA board says it`s instigated an immediate review of all credible alternative DRM solutions and and is calling for proposals from all DRM solution providers by April 11.
Something you think we should know? tips[at]p2pnet.net
See:-
GSMA - Global Trade Association to Undertake Immediate Review of Alternative DRM Solutions, March 31, 2005.
