Orange has carried out what it calls a major refresh of its online and mobile music store by dropping digital rights management from a significant portion of its catalogue.

The operator has so far secured the support of Universal Music, EMI and a few indie labels, amounting to 700,000 DRM-free tracks that will be transferable to any MP3 compatible device once downloaded.

Orange is also introducing new tiered pricing, with downloads now available from 79p.

The company says it will be unveiling further enhancements to the user experience of its music store in the coming weeks. It says search and navigation will become faster and easier and users will be able to access info on events such as Orange RockCorps, or read about handset offers such as Nokia ‘Comes With Music.’

Paul Jevons, Director of Products, Portals and Services at Orange, said: “Orange is committed to providing customers with the widest access to music tracks and content. Upgrading the Music Portal and introducing DRM-free music helps customers enjoy music how and when they want. We look forward to enhancing the DRM-free music catalogue over the coming months.”