Los Angeles (AP): A revamped online file-sharing service that promised to offer unlimited, free music downloads from all the major record labels hit an apparent snag on the eve of its planned debut on Monday after one company denied it had given the service permission.

Qtrax touted in a press release on Sunday morning that it was the first Internet file-swapping service to be "fully embraced by the music industry," and boasted it would carry up to 30 million tracks from "all the major labels."

New York-based Warner Music undermined that claim, declaring in a statement that it "has not authorised the use of our content on Qtrax's recently announced service."

Universal Music Group and EMI Group PLC later confirmed they did not have licensing deals in place with Qtrax, noting discussions were still ongoing. A call to Sony BMG Music Entertainment was not immediately returned.

Justin Kazmark, a spokesman for New York-based Qtrax, declined to comment.

Qtrax had been scheduled to make its online debut today, a day after its splashy coming-out party at the annual Midem music business conference in Cannes, France.

The development marked an inauspicious start for Qtrax, the latest online music venture counting on the lure of free music to draw in music fans and on advertising to pay the bills, namely record company licensing fees.

The service was among several peer-to-peer file-sharing applications that emerged following the shutdown of Napster, the pioneer service that enabled millions to illegally copy songs stored in other music fans' computers.