(10 January 2006 7:00 pm)

MUMBAI: Taking a leaf out of Apple's successful iPod experiment, Vodafone has launched an interactive radio service in association with Sony.

The subscription service, called Vodafone Radio DJ, is developed through Sony's NetServices division. The service will allow users to personalise radio channels by rating tracks "like" or "dislike".

Vodafone Radio DJ will be delivered through Vodafone's 3G network to mobile phones. It will also allow users to buy tracks and download them. The company claims that subscribers will have access to hundreds of thousands of songs. However, Vodafone is yet to reveal the cost details.

Reportedly, Britain's 3G licence-holders Vodafone, Orange, T-Mobile have spent £22.5 billion on acquiring the licenses in 2000. The recent initiative is seen as an effort to recoup the money spent.