Mobile Phone Ads

New York Times Online: People often say they do not like advertisements, but that may change if the ads start lowering their cellphone bills.
Cellular phone carriers like Verizon, Sprint and Cingular, now the new AT&T, are beginning to test and roll out advertising on mobile phone screens, and by next year, cellphone advertising is likely to be more common.
In exchange, the companies say, their subscribers will enjoy improved mobile Internet services and content provided free or at reduced prices. Other companies like Virgin Mobile USA and Amp’d Mobile are taking the idea a step further, rewarding customers for viewing ads by lowering their cellphone bills.
Amp’d, a cellphone company that aims its marketing at 18- to 24-year-olds in the United States, will begin offering an opt-in advertising plan this year. Customers who sign up will gain access to free shows and other content — if they are willing to put up with some ads.
Madison Avenue Calling [New York Times Online]