Manx Telecom has already announced its initial launch plans and i-level has negotiated advertising spots for several clients on the new service.
The two will be experimenting with various ad formats and placements, and looking at consumer reaction to each. The first advertiser to go forward will be the Co-operative online bank Smile. Initially, the advertising will be basic branding on the 3G portal, but further placement will follow.
Martin Tufft, head of application services for Manx Telecom, said: "Following extensive testing, Manx Telecom has sought solutions which have enabled it to offer customers a wide range of applications and services for trial. Working with i-level will enable us to start to assess the practical realities and implications of advertising on 3G."
Commenting on the groundbreaking project, i-level CEO and co-founder, Charlie Dobres, said: "The advertising opportunities we have been able to secure represent the real early stages of this nascent medium. This exercise will give our clients and the industry an insight into what is to come, because 3G is coming. Despite some concern over timescales, the fact is that the public already has a love of mobile phones and the services that 3G will ultimately offer will make their phones even more indispensable in their lives."
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