Microsoft eyes mobile phone advertising firm

Microsoft is looking to get an early foothold in the burgeoning mobile advertising market

Microsoft is rumoured to be making an offer for a company that sells advertising on mobile phones and wireless devices. 

Third Screen Media describes itself as a software and services firm, and numbers USA Today, MasterCard, Dunkin' Donuts, MSN and The Weather Channel among its clients and partners. 

A statement on the company's website reads: "Third Screen Media's MADX product suite links advertisers, publishers and mobile phone carriers on a common platform to increase the efficiency and time-to-market for the buying and selling of mobile advertising in Wap, video, MMS and downloadable applications. "

Microsoft has not yet agreed on a price, according to a report in The Wall Street Journal.

The mobile advertising market is expected to jump from $45m in 2005 to $1.3bn by 2009, and Microsoft is obviously looking to get an early foothold.

Recent rumours suggested that Microsoft would buy Massive Inc, a specialist advertising agency that sells adverts in video games. 

Microsoft declined to comment on the Third Screen Media speculation. "It is not our policy to communicate on rumours," a spokesman told vnunet.com.