Today at the 3GSM World Congress, Microsoft and Nokia announced they are working together to ensure consumers can enjoy music from the newly launched mobile music solution offered by Nokia and Loudeye to wireless operators on both Nokia handsets and on Microsoft Windows XP-based PCs.

The two companies have also agreed to long-term collaboration on extended digital media format support. This collaboration includes support for Windows Media Audio, Windows Media Digital Rights Management (DRM) 10 and Media Transfer Protocol (MTP) on music oriented Nokia handsets, and including support for Open Mobile Alliance (OMA) Digital Rights Management and the MPEG Advanced Audio Coding (AAC) family of codecs in Windows Media Player via a plug-in.

The mobile music service from Nokia and Loudeye is based on the OMA DRM and MPEG AAC standards and enables a wireless operator's customers to search, listen, download and pay for music using an operator branded music application on their mobile device.  Windows Media Player is used for the PC component of the music solution, and wireless operators will be able to brand their music service when it is integrated into the Windows Media Player.

Starting immediately, operators can provide their customers access and download of music using the mobile music solution from Nokia and Loudeye, allowing instant access to purchase content through Nokia handsets or Windows XP-based PCs.  By supporting MTP on their handsets, Nokia is ensuring consumers have a simple and easy sync experience with their phones when transferring music to and from Windows XP-based PCs using Windows Media Player.