Major International Music Streaming Service Launches In Africa

It seems that the year 2012 can as well be described as the year of digital music in Africa, as more and more music streaming and download services are eyeing the African market.

Already, we’ve witnessed the launch of local music services, Spinlet and iROKING as well as other Spotify wannabes, but for the first time ever, an international music streaming service is launching in Africa.

This news comes as Spinlet plans to roll-out its music app to global users this weekend. Well, this is already turning into a digital music war!

Last December, we gave a hint that French-based online music streaming service, Deezer will roll-out in over 200 countries, including African countries this year. Deezer was initially launched in France in August 2007, Belgium and the UK, and now has over 20 million users, with 6 million unique visitors per month.

Following its announcement at LeWeb conference in Paris, France that it would launch the first-ever global music roll-out to the rest of Europe, Canada, Australasia and Africa by June 2012, we can now confirm that the service is available in two African countries – Mauritius and Ivory Coast — via the Orange mobile network, thus making them the first countries to access the service in the Middle East and Africa region.

Through its partnership with Orange, Deezer will now be available to Orange customers in these African countries. Apparently, Orange is the only mobile operator to offer an unlimited music streaming service in these countries via Deezer at the moment, but it is unclear whether this is an exclusive deal.

Deezer reportedly offers a music catalogue with 13 million titles from 2,000 different labels, including the 4 majors. Orange customers in these two African countries can now enjoy their favourite music anywhere and at any time and share it with their friends easily and legally, but of course with an internet tariff plans.

Since 2010, Orange and Deezer entered a new phase in the evolution of legal online music offer and are helping to develop them on all available digital media.

It is expected that Orange and Deezer would extend their partnership to other Orange countries in Africa within the coming months.