Here are answers to commonly-asked questions about the new Zune Pass subscription model, which became available at 11pm Pacific last night. With this enhancement, you not only get subscription access to tracks from Zune Marketplace - you also get ten tracks per month, for keeps!

1. What’s the catch here?

There doesn’t seem to be a catch. You get everything you always got with your Zune Pass (i.e. unlimited access to Marketplace subscription tracks, for as long as you maintain your subscription), plus your choice of tracks to keep every month.

2. If I don’t download my ten tracks this month, can I download twenty next month? In other words, do the ten free downloads carry over from month to month?

No, there is no rollover of the ten downloads from one month to the next. Download your selected ten tracks each month; next month you’ll be able to download ten more.

3. Is the ‘free downloads’ offer retroactive from when I started my Zune Pass?

No, it starts now. Each month from this month forward, you get ten free downloads.

4. How do I download the ten free tracks?

Right-click on the track you want, and select ‘buy’ or ‘add to cart’. If you have a Zune Pass, each month you will have a ten-item credit in your account to use for this.

5. Are the free tracks in WMA or in MP3 format?

You can download them in whatever formats are available in Zune Marketplace. (Right now, 90% of Marketplace tracks are available in both WMA and in MP3 format.)

6. Can I burn the downloaded tracks to CD?

Yes! You can burn them, just like you can with any other purchased content. See the Zune terms of service for details - there are some limits to how many times you can burn a particular playlist, for example.

7. I sync my Zune Pass tracks to several players and PCs. How many free downloads do I get?

You get ten free downloads per account. Having several Zune players and PCs tied to that account doesn’t affect the number of downloads that you get.

8. Are the downloaded songs DRM-free?

The MP3 versions are DRM-free. The WMA versions have DRM controls and may not sync to non-Zune players.

9. How much does a Zune Pass cost?

No change here: it’s still $14.99 per month. For that you get access to all Zune Marketplace subscription tracks, and your ten free keep-it-forever download tracks.

10. How do I get a Zune Pass? Can I get a free trial of it?

You can sign up for a Zune Pass here. You can also get a 14-day free trial.

Got other questions? Got answers? Join our discussion about the new Zune Pass!

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Tags: Zune Pass