Japanese record companies suspected of ringtone blocking

TOKYO-More than 10 top Japanese record companies are suspected of illegally blocking other firms from offering ringtone services to wireless users.

Japan’s anti-monopoly agency raided several of the companies Thursday, including Sony Music Entertainment, Universal Music, EMI-Toshiba Ltd. and Victor Entertainment Inc. They are suspected of violating fair trade laws by preventing mobile operators from offering the popular service.

Downloadable ringtones are particularly popular in Japan, where two-thirds of the population-some 82 million people-carry mobile phones. It is estimated Japanese consumers download 300,000 songs a day to their phones.