Digicel mobile carrier plans to block ads & charge advertisers for user access
Jamaican based telecom firm Digicel has announced plans to start blocking adverts from appearing on its customers’ devices.
The carrier told the Wall Street Journal that ad networks from Google, Facebook and Yahoo could get through its blockade for a price – much like the whitelists of apps such as Ad Block Pro.
Denis O’Brien, chairman of Digicel Group, said: “Companies like Google, Yahoo and Facebook talk a great game and take a lot of credit when it comes to pushing the idea of broadband for all – but they put no money in.
“Instead they unashamedly trade off the efforts and investments of network operators like Digicel to make money for themselves.”
Although the service boasts only 13m users across Lat Am and Carribean regions, the move represents a strategic shift in mobile advertising which could be emulated by other carriers, especially with Deutsche Telekom also reportedly looking into such measures.