Smartphone maker Nokia launched on Wednesday its subscription-based music service called Nokia Music+. With the service, Lumia phone owners could gain access to a large playlist made by music experts and international artists.

The fee is at $4.99 a month. Lumia unit owners could avail of a free seven-day trial period using their 920, 820 and 620 hand-held devices.

To download the service, select the upgrade option from the main menu in Nokia Music then tap on "Setting" and choose the "Upgrade" option. When they reach the Nokia Music+ section, they can activate the subscription.

The service would work even if they are not connected to the Internet via Wi-Fi or by listening to the audio using Internet-enable PCs and tablets. If connected through a network or Wi-Fi, subscribers could select higher quality audio.

The service includes infinite skips and access to the lyrics.

The Nokia service would increase competition following the release of Pandora, a streaming radio app, in the Windows Phone store.

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