Rogers Wireless banning MP3 ringtones on its handsets?
It's the situation most of us love to hate: we buy that new, shiny handset with full MP3 capability to supplant that fully-fledged, big-gig DAP only to find out that MP3 files -- as clips or songs -- can't be used as ringtones. Sure, there are sometimes workarounds and hacks, but should anyone really have to go through all that? Music-based handset crippling may be coming to Canada's Rogers Wireless, as word on the street is that phones sold by the carrier, like the Nokia 5300, won't allow non-DRMed MP3 files as ringtones. We find this ludicrous on music-centric handset, but reports are that the requirement was at the behest of the music industry (who else). If you're a Rogers subscriber and are locked out of using your own homebrew MP3 clips as ringtones, we'll take it that you're miffed, big time. We gotta go DRM those MP3 files of some barking dogs we have, so catch ya later.[Via mocoNews and BoingBoing]
Filed under: Ringtones, Rogers Wireless
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
Sean @ Jul 18th 2007 4:09PM
I'm sooooo pissed. I have been looking at debranding my Sony Ericsson w810i. Meanwhile I found a DRM packer on the SE website. This is a functional workaround.
This is the kind of thing that Telus or Bell Mobility do!. Rogers has now joined the ranks of the greedy capitalist bastards!
Still my phone isn't as badly locked and disabled as my co-workers Samsung, poor guy.
Andrew @ Jul 18th 2007 6:13PM
See, this is why I bought my W810 straight from the horse's mouth - i.e. Sony Canada. It cost me an arm and a leg (with taxes, about as much as an iPhone would cost today, over $600) but it's unlocked and unbranded. It worked with a different network's SIM in Europe, I can disable the annoying shutter sound when taking photos and obviously I can use any mp3 for music. Oh, and I'm not locked in a contract.
Michael @ Jul 18th 2007 5:21PM
This DRM requirement is outside of the cellphone providers' control. I believe it is due to Canadian Law that requires new handsets to lock out MP3 ringtones, which were not purchased through the carrier.
Donald @ Jul 18th 2007 5:54PM
And what law would that be, pray tell?
Dster @ Jul 18th 2007 6:02PM
@Michael, are you referring to the law that sales of ringtones must include fees payable to recording artists, songwriters, and their representatives?
What in the world would that have to do with "requiring new handsets to lock out MP3 ringtones"?
Here's an intarweb tip: use teh google ( http://www.tehgoogle.com ) before saying stuff that you think might be true but you're dumb.
Agent237 @ Jul 18th 2007 8:38PM
Rogers shipped a Sony Ericsson w300i to me by mistake. They let me keep it while my w810i was sent out. It was not locked. I could use MP3 files as ring tones.
This is why I was really pissed that the w810i was handicapped.
jim jonze @ Jul 19th 2007 2:42PM
I read somewhere that the recording industry and music publishing industries consider ringtones to be a public performance of the work, which incurs higher royalties than a "private" performance which is their explainaion of why a 30 second low fi ringtone costs three times the price of a high qualiy digital download of the full song. (They have never come down conclusively, however, on the legal status of ghetto blasters).
Of course, it could just be an instance of the carriers being just as money grubbing as the music industry and wanting more ringtone download revenue and using the music industry as a scapegoat. Or it could be a little greed on both sides.
Leroy Vargas @ Jul 23rd 2007 12:32AM
>> (They have never come down conclusively, however, on the legal status of ghetto blasters).
Do you mean the guys with boomboxes volume-maxxed, or just the boomboxes themselves?
xj @ Jul 18th 2007 5:22PM
Thank goodness for unlocked and unbranded phones. :)
DTx @ Jul 18th 2007 5:54PM
Rogers has been blocking MP3s are ringtones for nearly a year now (since our second shippment of w810s) Debranding works of course for Sonys and Nokias. And I don't know if it's just being greedy and wanting more "RealTrax" sales, or if it has some legal background, but it's kinda crappy. Stick to smartphones or debrand your handset and you'll avoid this issue.
Owen V @ Jul 18th 2007 7:56PM
whats with the whole "dogbark" ringtone, I never understood why that was included in handsets
farooq @ Jul 18th 2007 8:14PM
This news is pretty old, and if im not mistaken Rogers is not the only one doing this atm
absolut_ian @ Jul 19th 2007 12:41AM
OLD NEWS!!!! ROGERS HAS BEEN DOING THIS NOW FOR OVER ONE YEAR!
john @ Jul 24th 2007 2:22PM
they tryed to do this with my samsung slider from rogers. when you install the software they try and force a update and nerf almost all functions of the software. including uploading mp3s and converting the videos off your phone to something more usuable. just kill the update in your processes. works fine.
Nick @ Aug 1st 2007 4:20PM
This is true. I have the Nokia 5300, until recently I was not able to use my mp3's as ring tones. If you flas the 5300 you unlock it, you also unlock the nokia music player which rogers locked away because they are cool like that. But just be glad your not on bell or telus, you can't even end or recieve files via blue tooth....they disable that
Lenny @ Aug 6th 2007 8:02PM
what is flas?
Shane @ Aug 7th 2007 12:45AM
I must have gotten one of the first batches of the w810i when I purchased it last November, because I was able to play mp3's as ringtunes. I had to send my phone in for service a couple of months ago and they had to upgrade the firmware...well, I lost my mp3-playing capability :-(
After 2 hours on the phone with Rogers, I was able to get a $120 credit on my account :-) That should more than cover the debranding charges once the phone comes off warranty.
RatedRKO @ Aug 16th 2007 1:27PM
Whats better, forward lock, combined or seperate? it asks on the website..and i dont FULLY understand what they mean lol.
THOMAS @ Aug 21st 2007 10:45PM
Here's the deal ppl get the DRM packager from the sony develpers site convert the mp3 u want to use as a ring tone then copy it to your phone I put it in other files the select the file it will lwt u use it as a ring tone I know this case I have w810i from rogers and it works beautiful....I now have about 15 full length mp3's as ring tones if u can't find the packager email me I'll sned it to u.... ares_1975@hotmail.com
ct @ Sep 1st 2007 3:38PM
Hi Thomas
I just got a phone, samsung a706, and i just found out my cell is like that. Its such a piss off!! lol
So any ways I got the Sony DRM converter, but I was just wondering what do I need to do now?
I've made my ring tune have a DRM rights folder, and I have a .dm file, but it won't let me move that to my phone...so I still can't play my own mp3s as ring tunes.
Could you please help me out!! I would appreciate it sooo much!
Thanks,
Christine
GeorgeSanchez @ Aug 22nd 2007 2:26AM
Dude, two questions. One.... what's the link for the DRM packager? Two... will it work with the w580i phone?
Steph @ Sep 4th 2007 4:33AM
Link to Sony Ericsson DRM Packager
http://developer.sonyericsson.com/site/global/docstools/misc/p_misc.jsp
kk @ Oct 15th 2007 5:18PM
hi i just got a se w580i, and i downloaded the drm packager , and converted a file , transfered it , but im still unable to use it as a ring tune .........any advice , have i missed something ?
deepit @ Sep 9th 2007 2:28PM
Its not all phones that stop you from using DRMed ringtones.
The MOTO KRZR I bought from rogers last month allows me to use mp3 ringtones (mind you it was the (product) red edition so that might have made a difference)
wook @ Sep 20th 2007 4:39PM
does anyone know how to get a dmr program for nokia? specifically the 5200?