1996: Founded in Sofia, Bulgaria Operates a music catalogue of over 106,000 MP3 files by nearly 2,300 artists Warns users to delete download music within 24 hours

Bulgaria Online is a small Sofia-based Internet Service Provider (ISP), offering wide-ranging solutions from dial-up and wireless Internet access to consulting and web page design.

For years, the ISP has maintained a growing and freely accessible collection of music files. MP3.Online.bg, available only to Bulgarian users, topped 106,000 songs from over 2,270 artists in recent weeks. In its early years, the service specialized in providing access to complete discographies and full albums, but later individual songs started to appear. The multifarious collection caters to all tastes with music ranging from the early 1950s to Madonna's latest hot-selling album "American Life."

Due to its limited connectivity, Bulgaria Online allows only 200 simultaneous downloads. Svetlozar Online research indicates the service's average load is over 75 percent. In addition, MP3.Online.bg offers unlimited access to the company's clients, which may lead some to believe the collection is used as an incentive to drive customers.

In recent months, MP3.Online.bg placed a warning on its front page, informing its users that "the music [...] is intended solely for acquaintance with the work of a specific author." The statement continues on saying: "By using the present catalogue you agree to remove the downloaded files within 24 hours..."

Marina Malcheva, administrative director of the Bulgarian Association of the Music Producers (BAMP), called the notification "ridiculous."