Omnifone, the digital music service provider behind the MusicStation mobile music service and other mobile music platforms, has announced its first major play in the PC-based download domain, having announced its intent to move into this space through partnerships with ISPs and technology makers last year.

The new development, to be announced at MIDEM today, is a partnership with HP which will see a web-based version of MusicStation preloaded onto HP computers sold in ten European countries, including the UK. The subscription-based MusicStation service will offer unlimited plays of music from a vast catalogue while a subscription is active (delivered via a Napster-style DRMed download), plus ten MP3 downloads a month, which users can obviously keep and play forever.

Omnifone chief Rob Lewis told CMU: "Omnifone is proud to partner with HP, the world's largest PC manufacturer, to deliver MusicStation to consumers on millions of PCs in ten countries across Europe. The HP rollout sees MusicStation Desktop preinstalled on multiple HP PCs, available in seven languages with each territory featuring an individually tailored music catalogue from Omnifone's roster of over 6.5 million tracks. We look forward to extending our partnership onto even more PCs and territories, to ensure consumers have the ability to gain legitimate access to the world's music on every HP PC they purchase".

HP VP Personal Systems Group EMEA Charl Snyman added: "Partnering with Omnifone will enable HP to deliver music to millions of HP PC users across ten countries in Europe on our Pavilion, Presario and Envy PCs. Starting today, HP PC users in the UK, France, Germany, Italy, Spain, Sweden, The Netherlands, Austria, Belgium and Switzerland can try MusicStation for free for up to fourteen days, get access to millions of tracks, keep their favourite tracks permanently and share music and playlists with other MusicStation users".