Getting paid for ads on my cellphone? I don't give a Fluc

Stuart Corner
Wednesday, 02 January 2008 04:47

Opinion and Analysis

According to AP, Virgin Mobile USA, which offers prepaid mobile services, already has more than 10 percent of its five million customers signed up for Sugar Mama, a program that lets them earn up to 75 minutes of free airtime each month simply by watching ads or responding to mobile surveys.

However the most ambitious attempt at luring customers to mobile advertising launched to date is that from Blyk (www.blyk.com ). The company is a UK MVNO that is offering free mobile services funded by advertising revenue. It launched its service in November 2007  targeted at 16-24 age group and plans to expand throughout Europe in 2008.

Users get 217 free SMS and 43 free call minutes per month, and then start paying. The company has not yet revealed any details of take up rates.

The trouble with any advertising to mobiles is that is, inevitably intrusive and likely to tolerated primarily by those to whom the cash or call incentives are most attractive. But they won't be the big spenders on whatever the advertisers are trying to sell. And if the costs of mobile services continue to fall, there will be more incentive for most people to say Fluc off.