Canadian mobile operator-to-be Globalive Communications is to use mobile advertising in an effort to keep consumer tariffs low and differentiate itself from incumbent operators Rogers Wireless, Bell Mobility and Telus. The newcomer has signed a deal with mobile marketing and advertising vendor MyScreen that will see Globalive’s customers compensated for allowing targeted rich, full-screen advertisements placed on their mobile device at the end of a call or SMS. MyScreen has recently partnered with marketing agency Omnicom, which represents some of the world’s major brands. UK MVNO Blyk – which itself this week announced an advertising deal with MTV – is regarded as a pioneer in this space, and has already signed up over 200,000 customers.

Backed by Middle East giant Orascom Telecom, Globalive bid C$442 million (US$372 million) in Canada’s summer auction of Advanced Wireless Services spectrum and now owns licenses to provide mobile coverage to a population of 26 million, covering all major areas except Quebec. It plans to launch services in the second half of next year and is targeting 1.5 million subscribers in the first three years. The move to an advertising-based business model is the latest effort by the operator to position itself as a consumer-focused mobile company, following the launch of an online ‘soapbox’ forum last month which will gather consumers’ opinions about what they seek in a mobile provider. In related news, the operator yesterday announced Ken Campbell, formerly CEO of European operator Bite Group, as its new chief executive.