VIDEO INTERVIEW: Axel Dauchez, chief executive of online music subscription service Deezer (pictured), said a “critical mass” around mobile music can only be achieved through partnerships with operators.

“To move from download piracy to subscription is a change of behaviour, and to apply that to a country you need critical mass,” he told Mobile World Live in a recent video interview.

Deezer has struck a number of partnerships with big-name operators, including Orange, Deutsche Telekom and Telenor. A Deezer subscription is bundled in with offers from operators in 26 countries, Dauchez added.

The Deezer service offers unlimited access to around 20 million cloud-based tracks, from which users can download their favourites.

For the service to be profitable, however, Dauchez said “reasonable acquisition costs” and “sustainable margins” are vital.

View the full video interview with Dauchez here.