Cell phone firms reach agreement on music

LG Electronics joined other mobile phone-related companies yesterday in reaching an agreement with music associations. That apparently ended the controversy stirred by the introduction of mobile handsets that can also play MP3 files, the Ministry of Information and Communication said yesterday. Music associations have argued that the introduction of MP3 phones may breach their copyrights, because there are too many ways that users can download and listen to illegal MP3 files with the handsets. Phone makers had noted the popularity of stand-along MP3 players. They and mobile phone companies recently agreed to limit the length of time any single MP3 music file can be played on handsets to 72 hours for the next two months, until the cell phone makers are prepared to install provisions to degrade the quality of music played on those phones.