SBC Online Music Case Moved to Washington

A dispute between record labels and telecommunications giant SBC Communications Inc. has been transferred to a federal court in Washington that has decided a similar case in favor of the recording industry, which hailed the move.

SBC has sued record labels to stop a flood of court orders that seek to track down its Internet customers who may be illegally copying music.

The Recording Industry Assn. of America has issued thousands of subpoenas since the spring. SBC subsidiary Pacific Bell Internet Services said such subpoenas stripped away customer privacy.

U.S. District Judge Susan Illston granted a recording industry request to transfer the case from San Francisco to Washington.