UK mobile operator EE has been looking into introducing technology that will give customers the power to restrict the advertising they see on their mobile devices.
CEO Olaf Swantee has said EE has launched a strategic review to evaluate whether users should be given more control over the level and intensity of ads on mobile. The purpose of the review is to examine tools that allow customers to block mobile ads and within apps, such as pop-up banners or videos. Meanwhile, O2 is said to be following a similar track and looking into blocking ads across its mobile network as well. The UK mobile advertising market is estimated to be worth around £2 billion a year. 
Declan Lonergan, VP, 451 Research, commented: “In theory this doesn’t sound like such a bad idea, and is likely to be well-received by the majority of consumers. Anything that helps users conserve mobile data and stay within their monthly usage caps is bound to go down well. However, the devil, as always, will be in the detail. Will users be comfortable with having a different Web experience on Wi-Fi versus cellular? Can industry regulators and net-neutrality advocates get comfortable with the idea of network operators ‘managing’ how Web content is delivered to and consumed on mobile devices? And, perhaps most significantly, how will advertisers and Web players react when faced with a threat to their established advertising-funded business models? For a meaningful level of ad-blocking by operators to get off the ground it will probably need to get the backing from all of these stakeholders. That’s easier said than done.”
The author of this blog is Declan Lonergan, VP, Research, 451 Research.
Comment on this article below or via Twitter: @ VanillaPlusMag OR @jcvplus
