Controversial on-ISP behavioural ad targeting outfit Phorm had been due to start its trial on BT’s (NYSE: BT) broadband network weeks ago, but we hadn’t heard a sniff of it actually happening. This morning, Phorm confirmed the delay by issuing a regulatory notice to the market: “Whilst this has taken longer than originally anticipated, significant and accelerating progress has been made. The trial will commence as soon as these preparations are complete.”
So, still no date for when BT subscribers’ each and every browsing habit will inform the targeting of ads served up to them on publisher partner sites. Phorm has also had Virgin Media (NSDQ: VMED) and Carphone Warehouse’s TalkTalk on the books for months, awaiting trial. Again, it only told the market today these trials would begin “in due course” – full roll-out will come “following successful completion of these trials and an appropriate planning period”. Phorm repeated claims other ISPs in the UK and elsewhere are interested.