Ads to Replace the Ring Back Tone - Maybe...

Thread Title:
Hong Kong 'ring-ring': An ad in every call
Thread Description:

So, when your on your mobile and calling someone, you get that "ring ring" tone right? How would you feel if that were replaced with advertising messages direct to your ear?

Ad-Phone has patented a system to replace the ring-back tone - that "ring-ring" you hear while waiting for the person you called to answer - with an advertisement or other message. Using the digital technology that connects calls, Ad-Phone puts messages directly into consumers' ears, whether they're using a mobile phone or a wired line.

James at MoCoNews says:

When I postulated the idea a month ago in this article I suggested it would be an alternative to ringback tones, whereas the system patented by Ad Phone has the caller as the one who joins the service. This provides even more reason for the program to be “incentivized", to quote the bastardization of the english language used in the article. People will only sign up for the service if the ads offer them something concrete, or they get some other kickback such as cheaper calls.

So it's certainly opt-in at present but regardless of patent, how long before that little gold mine starts becoming a reality?

What if those ads actually diverted you from your call? "press * now to get a free walrus tickling kit!" kind of thing?

Freaky huh?


Isn't that what 'hold' is use

Isn't that what 'hold' is used for? And how targeted could it really be? It seems like just a shotgun technique that would annoy more people than bring in new sales.

But hey, marketing vi*gra to millions via email works, so this may too.

I had to pay for my walrus tickling kit.

If they incentivised the call recipient they'd get a load of sign ups - this seems a little the wrong way around to me. Perhaps it's a legal thing.

Or even nicer, how about if an individual could sell their ringback to a sponsor? Communities of phone owners could make some pretty good deals if they got organised.

I'd call people even less tha

I'd call people even less than I do now.

Not that surprising

I had the joy of living in Hong Kong for a few years - this doesn't seem that surprising. Things that will work well there won't necessarily work well in the West.

And how targeted could it really be?

Well, not being a phone tech i could only theorize but how about this for a scenario:

Your carrier monitors your web surfing and the media you pay to have streamed to your phone, in a deal with this company they do an adsense/amazon type thing where they match ads to the content your viewing.

Not sure if they could do that but as ISP's can and do monitor your browsing habbits i see no reason why mobile carriers couldn't do the same...

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