VZW snaps back at Marley family, reggae ringtones restored

Verizon Wireless put its Bob Marley content back online after a spokesman for the late reggae star’s estate blasted the carrier publicly.
Marley’s family last month said it would sue the carrier and Universal Music Group for using Marley’s likeness and name without permission. The threat came in response to promotions for an exclusive deal between Verizon Wireless and UMG to offer ringtones and ringbacks from more than two dozen Marley hits including “I Shot the Sheriff” and “Three Little Birds.”
The operator said it took the content offline Monday “to give Universal and the Marley estate time to work out their differences.” But the content was made available again after a Marley family spokesman told Reuters he was “infuriated that Verizon would go around the estate and initiate partnership with Universal Music Group.”
“This is between them (UMG and the Marley estate),” a Verizon Wireless representative said. “But in light of (the Marley estate’s) statement yesterday about us, we decided to reinstate the ringtones.”