• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to footer
  • 020 3330 7010
  • marketing@allresponsemedia.com
  • E-mail
  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • LinkedIn
  • Twitter
  • YouTube
ARM logo

All Response Media

  • Home
  • About ARM
    • About ARM
    • Meet the Team
  • Our Services
    • TV Advertising
    • Digital
      • PPC
      • SEO
      • CRO
      • Social Media
      • Programmatic
    • Offline Media
      • TV Advertising
      • Press
      • Radio
      • Inserts
      • Door to Door Advertising
      • Outdoor
    • Analytics
    • ARMalytics®
  • Success Stories
    • Client Success Stories
    • TV Star Competition UK
    • TV Star Competition NL
    • Our Work With Startups
  • Content Hub
  • Careers
  • Contact Us
You are here: Home / Digital / Phone network-level ad blocking

Phone network-level ad blocking

22nd June 2016 by Aidan King

Ad blocking is increasing at a rapid rate which is mainly due to it being easier than ever to install software on a computer system or browser that makes the process of blocking ads painless. There are many anti-virus/malware software suites that now include this software and for web browsers there are a growing number of plugins. Recently Adblock Plus, a browser based ad blocking plugin, claimed to have their software installed on over 100 million devices worldwide.

At this point, the software or plugins need to be installed for ad blocking to occur and in most cases this is not a default application/setup. Well what would happen if the ad blocking was no longer controlled by this software and instead controlled at a higher level? What if that higher level was the service suppliers themselves?

Well, last week Three, the UK mobile operator, started running a 24-hour trial to block all ads served via the mobile network*. Believed to make up around 20% of the average customers bandwidth, Three believe this trial will not only provide a better service but also a faster and more secure service.

Three’s rationale behind this is, naturally, threefold:

  • Customers should not pay for data charges accrued by ads being served
  • Customers privacy and security should be protected at all times
  • Customer should be able to control the ads they see (if any)

They believe that this will force mobile ad suppliers to rethink how they target mobile users, with Chief Marketing Officer, Tom Malleschitz stating: “The current ad model is broken. It frustrates customers, eats up their data allowance and can jeopardise their privacy. Something needs to change.”

Although this is the first test like this within the UK, Europe is no stranger to talks and actions with network-level blocking. Many European mobile operators, including Three Italy, have introduced the Shine framework in to their network meaning they can switch on ad-blocking at any time at network level. This is the same service Three UK has implemented and it is already in place to run.

All Response Media Viewpoint

So what type of impact can we expect? At this time, this service is still in its infancy, in testing and opt-in only. Although the impact will be minimal, if left unaddressed, advertising mobile users would become increasingly difficult. However, Three, and no doubt others, are doing this with a goal in mind; force mobile ad suppliers to change the game.

Google are very mobile focused so I am sure they will have a number of things in the pipeline and no doubt have a team of mobile specialists talking about this very change and how they can work with mobile operators to offer ‘fair, safe and secure’ ad content to users. Likewise, Bing, Yahoo etc. will be having the same discussions to ensure they do not lose mobile market share.

This is going to be an interesting journey and all at ARM are along for the ride, remaining at the forefront of this as it unfolds.

* Subject to the customer approval. Three customers are being contacted with regards to opting-in to the trial.

Subscribe For More

Newsletter Signup

Footer

ARM logo

The Leading Performance Media Agency

Building businesses and brands by providing clients with an Unfair Competitive Advantage.
ARMalytics®

Get In Touch

London: Sutton Yard, 65 Goswell Road, EC1V 7EN
Phone: +44 (0) 20 3330 7000

Leeds: Marshalls Mill, Marshall Street, LS11 9YJ
Phone: +44 (0) 20 3330 8050

Amsterdam: Koivistokade 3, 1013 AC
Phone: +31 6 3761 9020

marketing@allresponsemedia.com

Privacy Policy | Cookie Policy | Modern Slavery Policy

  • E-mail
  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • LinkedIn
  • Twitter
  • YouTube

Our Newsletter

Subscribe to receive exclusive media insights straight to your inbox. We respect your privacy.

Newsletter Signup

We are using cookies to give you the best experience on our website.

You can find out more about which cookies we are using or switch them off in settings.

ARM logo
Powered by  GDPR Cookie Compliance
Privacy Overview

This website uses cookies so that we can provide you with the best user experience possible. Cookie information is stored in your browser and performs functions such as recognising you when you return to our website and helping our team to understand which sections of the website you find most interesting and useful.

Strictly Necessary Cookies

These cookies are essential to provide you with services available through our website and to enable you to use certain features of our website.

If you disable this cookie, we cannot provide you certain services on our website and we will not be able to save your preferences. This means that every time you visit this website you will need to enable or disable cookies again.

Analytical and Performance Cookies

These cookies are used to collect information to analyse the traffic to our website and how visitors are using our website.

For example, these cookies may track things such as how long you spend on the website or the pages you visit which helps us to understand how we can improve our website for you.

The information collected through these tracking and performance cookies do not identify any individual visitor.

Please enable Strictly Necessary Cookies first so that we can save your preferences!

Advertising and Targeting Cookies

These cookies are used to show advertising that is likely to be of interest to you based on your browsing habits.

These cookies, as served by our content and/or advertising providers, may combine information they collected from our website with other information they have independently collected relating to your web browser's activities across their network of websites.

If you choose to remove or disable these targeting or advertising cookies, you will still see adverts but they may not be relevant to you.

Please enable Strictly Necessary Cookies first so that we can save your preferences!

Cookie Policy

More information about our Privacy Policy and Cookie Policy