Wireless ventures aim to boost music subscriptions

On Monday (November 6), Cingular Wireless will become the first U.S. operator to provide mobile access to online digital music services such as Napster, eMusic and Yahoo Music.

Unlike rivals Sprint and Verizon Wireless, which operate their own branded a la carte download stores, Cingular is instead taking a partnership approach with subscription music services as the cornerstone of its mobile music strategy.

It's a risky move that the operator believes will rescue music subscription services from their current relative obscurity by solving two major market impediments: the lack of a popular portable subscription device and consumers' reluctance to "rent" their music.