Ad-funded mobile video service next June?

Last week 3 Hong Kong joined forces with UK-based mobile video content distributor Swanbay to offer free mobile videos to its customers who don’t mind watching advertisements.

Content included highlights of World Cup and Premier League games, Basketball NBA, music videos and movies.

Swanbay has already launched its service in Hong Kong, Taiwan, Thailand, Malaysia, India, Pakistan and plans to launch it “soon” across Europe, Africa and the Middle East.

When contacted regarding a New Zealand launch, Craig Ing, Director of Content, Swanbay, told Telecommunications Review, “We currently have plans to have launched in both Australia and New Zealand by the end of the June 2011 at the very latest. This timescale may be expedited based on our current launch timeline which is ahead of schedule.”

Ing wouldn’t be drawn on which New Zealand partner Swanbay might partner with.