Kazaa to insert music fees into phone bills

The new Kazaa appears to be mostly a run-of-the-mill subscription music service, but it does add a few new twists. The one that stands out right from the sign-up phase is that subscribers can either pay by credit card or via their telephone company.

(Credit: Kazaa.com)

"Brilliant Digital Entertainment Inc. (BDE) and Kazaa are not affiliated with your local telephone company," Kazaa writes in the company's terms of service, "However, for your convenience, BDE's charges will appear on your local telephone bill."

Music industry insiders have long talked about creating subscription services in partnership with Internet service providers, who could tuck monthly charges into a phone bill. The thinking is that consumers would be less likely to feel the pinch of by monthly fees if they were mixed in with all the other fees found in typical phone bill.

These ISP-music stores have yet to emerge in any significant way, but Kazaa's subscription service, announced Monday, appears to borrow this idea in an attempt to make the $20 monthly charges a little more palatable.

One of the main problems I saw this weekend when I tried out Kazaa's new service was that in order to post the charges to my phone bill, the company asked me to submit my Social Security number. That is bound to spook plenty of people.

Ring-tone companies have charged customers this way for a while, but to the best of my knowledge, not another major music service offers a similar payment option.

After becoming one of the world's most popular file-sharing programs, Kazaa was nearly sued out of existence several years ago. The new iteration is much more legal, if not much more routine.

The songs are protected by digital rights management, which is the norm for most subscription services. The service supports PCs only, not Mac or Linux, which means it is not compatible with iPods. Of course, like most subscription services, when a person stops paying, they lose their songs.

Brilliant Digital Entertainment, Kazaa's parent company, appears to be betting that Kazaa's brand will give it an advantage in a U.S. market, which has seen a score of music subscription services come and go. None of them have found a significant audience.

[Toulinwoek]

Welp; so much for trying out Kazaa.

[Renegade Knight]

They can find another way to connect the dots so they can bill via your phone bill.

[solitare_pax]

Agreed - your Social Security Number is intended for tax and federal benefits purposes, not as an identifier for some music service.

If they wish to link it to a phone bill, perhaps they should use the phone number and billing numbers used by your preferred phone service provider.

[ducttape36]

$20 dollars a month? that seems pretty steep... most arent more than 15, and even then they let you keep some songs a month.

[Havoc70]

Havent they heard the RIAA has declared DRM dead

[zekerr]

no DRM does equal free music...it just means that music you legally purchase will be unencumbered (read: DRM-free).

[michaelhoffa]

So now I have to look for them to charge my phone bill, yet another company that will latch itself onto your phone bill and there is nothing you can do about it! Of course the phone company will add more charges to your bill for this service. I for one will not be suscribing to it.

[protagonistic]

Actually, there is something you can do about it. Don't subscribe. For me the SSN thing would be enough to kill the deal.

[sandonet]

Michaelhoffa,

The other thing you can do is order the service with a credit card. They will bill your card monthly after a seven-day free offer. But if you don't like the service, you must cancel before the seven days are up or else you're on the hook for the next month with no chance for a refund.

[jmonty--2008]

There are too many companies that want a monthly subscription from customers. This is CRAZY in the current economy, and $20 is far too much for it anyway.

[PuterGeekster]

Who would bother with this app? Read it's real sources, it's just another attempt at getting rich from people who don't realize they are being scammed. What about the botnet software they install, or the bandwidth the user give them for free while paying?

http://filesharingz.com/reviews/kazaa.php

[zekerr]

sorry....no DRM does NOT equal free music

[feraldays]

e-music.com, anyone?

[Methuss]

A subscription service tied at the hip to RIAA flunky companies... and yet another one that wants a SSN to do business? I think not. Only a fool gives out their SSN to companies that have no legal reason to have it.

[Toulinwoek]

I cannot agree more! What possible use could a glorified record store have for my SSN? Anyone foolish enough to sign up with this outfit under these terms may not deserve what they get, but they might get what they don't want!

[Magallanes]

question : Is Kazaa still alive?.

[Toulinwoek]

Obviously. But not for long with this stupid business model.

[Ryan_Spahn]

Agreed.

If it was no DRM, unlimited MP3 downloads and $10 a month they'd have my business!

[moonbeard]

Why does anyone want to rent music? That's just foolish...if you don't pay, it goes from "unlimited" to "you aint got jack".

[moonbeard]

$240/yr to subscribe to music that evaporates when you cancel? You might as well be lighting cigars with your cash...I'll just stick to buying CDs and songs on iTunes that I can just keep forever. I suppose there's going to be some people that will argue it's "cheaper", but then I bet they're bad at math and lease their cars without the tax write-offs too. Want cheap music? Turn on the radio or stream it...the content is free, my favorite price.

[Mergatroid Mania]

Lol

Once again the term "Sucker" comes to mind.
$20 a month, plus charges to your phone bill, plus your ssn.
I'm not sure the word sucker adequately describes it.

I guess they couldn't get away with ripping off music companies, so now they're trying to rip off consumers.

[codynews]

You guys and your hangup about your SSN. Mine is 536-38-7784. Go have a blast.

[rmullen0]

Alright, what's the rest of your info? I'll go sell it to some illegals and screw up your finances.

[magicmaster]

As long as Kazaa implemented DRM on every song, no single cent from my wallet is going to suffer in RIAA torture chamber.

[rmullen0]

One would have to be completely insane to give out their SSN to a company like this. SSN should be used for taxes and Social Security and that's it. I think it's total BS that the telephone companies try to force you into giving them your SSN. I had someone at Cingular tell me that I had to give it out or I couldn't get a cell phone. Begrudgingly I gave it to them, but, I regret it. Later I called in and complained and had them blank it out. I would be VERY surprised if it ever really was completely removed from their records.

[biffhenerson]

Yet another nice surprise for Mom and Dad when they get their kids phone bill.

[Dr_Zinj]

Once you've given someone your information, you will NEVER be certain it is destroyed and not used for other purposes.

Best thing to do is tell them that you won't deal with their company if that's what they want; then walk out.

Alternative is to lie and provide a fake number. Any company asking for that information doesn't deserve truth and honesty from anyone. The transaction can be summarize as the company provides you a good or service, and you provide them their requested money in a timely manner. EVERYTHING else is irrelevant.

[joe47904]

I just got a $21.35 monthy service fee on my July 16, 2009 bill from Verizon (my phone service provider) for "Brilliant Ent-KaZaA" (their spelling) and I never even subscribed to the Kazaa service. In fact, I've never downloaded music to my computer in my life!!!! So apparently, it is way too easy for someone to join the Kazaa service and have it billed to someone else's phone bill. I think I smell a SCAM!!! (Also billed by an outfit called "The Billing Resource" or "Payments One". Lots of internet hits for bogus billings, but it all ties back to the reference that it is for the Kazaa monthly service charge. (Note: The phone company did credit my account and block further 3rd party billings.)

[ddaudelin]

Same thing happened to me here in MA for $20.95 on my July 22, 2009 bill from Verizon. It was a PITA to call Verizon who did the billing and then the company called, The Billing Resource which required a fax of the bill before they would issue the credit.

My name is Dennis but the person that signed up for this account on some online form was named, Farah Moon who only had to submit a phony SSN and my telephone number. There are no checks in the system that stop this inappropriate request for service and the subsequent charge. They didn't even compare the name or the SSN.

So, it's clearly a SCAM and it seems like the only person that benefits would be BrilKaZaA (their spelling on my bill), which is short for Brilliant Digital Entertainment company.

Verizon did credit my account and set up a block for further 3rd party billings (which should be their default anyway!!).

I just wonder how many people are paying their phone bills this month and not realizing that they've been SCAMMED with a charge for this company and the poor Verizon pass-thru service!!

Dennis

[GiGi503]

Thank you for your input. I will contact my phone company and go from there. I was going from the angle of contacting Kazaa to try to get off.

[GiGi503]

Well, we are a business account and I have a user that did not have to put in her social to join. She said she didn't join at all. Somehow she is signed up and we can't seem to get off of the thing. Does anyone have a phone number. I can't seem to find one.