What About An Ad Supported Phone Co? (profit, pay, ads)

[KevK]

I have this idea for a business and I want some feedback on it. What I would like to try is a free ad supported phone service. A cellular service that would work something like this:

1. A free service with 700 free minutes a month and free unlimited texting. Each additional minute would cost 10 cents.
2. In return for being free, whenever you make a call, you would first hear a 30 second ad and then your call would be connected (911 exception of course). Anybody calling you would also hear a 30 second ad before they were connected with your phone.
3. When receiving a text message, a texted ad will have to be opened prior to opeing the message itself and anybody you send a text to will get an ad header with the mesage.
4. Since the service would be free, you would have to pay for your own phone with prices beginning around $100.

Do you think such a service could be profitable?

[brokerdave]

i dont think you need to charge overages. but this could be a good idea to sell to children. you should try contacting google about this.

[vshah1010]

I think this is a good idea and will create new businesses and jobs.

Right now hardware is worthless and cell phone stores lose alot of money on the phone unless they can match the phone to a plan. If phone companies release a new model, that phone is basically lost money. So, stores can lose hundreds of dollars on phones that didn't sell.

Also, hardware development becomes unprofitable because phones and accessories are given away with the plan.

The same thing goes with software development, although some phone manufactures do have some software development platforms. But, software opportunities are going away for the same reason. No one wants to pay for something seperately it it's already "included" with their plan.

Your ad idea is good because it would allow retailers to sell the phone and make a profit without risking so much money as they do with phone plans. And, hardware and software development will become profitable, which will encourage developers and create jobs.

[maf763]

I don't know - it might be good for some people but I think most people would think the delay in ads and texts going through would get pretty old pretty fast. Interesting idea though.

[texdav]

I think you will get mostly retired and young people because most do not have time or want to listen to a 30 second commercial before getting their party on the line.