Nokia customers want ads on their phones

NEWS Consumers are waiting patiently for the advent of mobile commerce and even want to see adverts on their mobile devices, according to research by Nokia. By the end of 2002, users of Nokia devices will be able to watch video clips on their mobile devices with adverts at the beginning and end of each download. The research surprisingly revealed that users would not object to being hit with the odd ad in exchange for content. Reza Chady, global head of market research at Nokia Networks, said adverts will be tolerated on mobile devices in return for free or cheap services or the illusion of getting more value than the price tag implied. In all, 86 per cent of the 33,00 people studied across the globe by HPI Research said they would accept advertising via mobile devices. Chady said: "If the perceived benefit of having to watch adverts is high - such as a reduction in the cost of the service - it works very well. "However, normal TV ads don't work. We're talking about branding on either end of a clip that seamlessly links to, say, ticketing services so the user can go to the cinema to watch the film they've just seen advertised." Chady said Nokia is due to release devices that will enable users to watch video by the end of this year.