Vodafone needs IPRS nod to use songs for caller tunes: HC
Times of India | 11 May 2026
Kolkata: The Calcutta High Court on May 8 ruled that Vodafone cannot offer songs as caller tunes or ringtones solely under agreements with sound recording companies and must also obtain permission from the Indian Performing Right Society Ltd (IPRS), which represents authors, composers and publishers.
The case involved Vodafone's value-added service using film and non-film songs as caller tunes and ringtones. Vodafone argued its agreement with Saregama, a manufacturer, seller and publisher of sound recordings, was enough. IPRS opposed this, arguing that authors of the underlying literary and musical works in a sound recording are entitled to royalties and other consideration when such recordings are commercially exploited.
A division bench of justices Debangsu Basak and Md Shabbar Rashidi held that Saregama had no legal authority to license the underlying musical and literary works embedded in sound recordings for Vodafone's commercial use. The court said Vodafone needs express permission from IPRS. It also noted the Copyright Amendment Act, 2012 permits IPRS to claim such royalties.