Sprint, in co-operation with Microsoft, has launched mobile (local) search. This is the first installment of "a range of innovative new service offerings for Sprint’s business and consumer customers."
According to the Microsoft release:
The first consumer offering in this collaboration enables Sprint customers to use Windows Live™ Search for mobile on their wireless phones to conveniently search location-based content from the Internet, such as nearby stores and restaurants, as well as Sprint’s catalog of ring tones, games, screen savers and related services. The service also provides new opportunities for highly relevant and targeted local advertising, which will benefit businesses and consumers alike.
The new Sprint mobile search service powered by Windows Live aims to provide one-stop access to relevant online content associated with a given keyword or phrase. For example, consumers who search for “sports” on their wireless phone can search all of Sprint’s content relating to sports, such as ringtones, wallpapers and applications with “sports” in the title.
According to an article in Wall Street Journal the local search part of the partnership will be monetized through advertising. According to the article "The local-search component offers a new revenue stream as well: Businesses can bid to be listed as sponsored links in the local-search directory and will pay a fee when consumers click those links to call them through the service."
The partnersip will boost AdCenter’s revenues. On the other hand, Sprint has an existing partnership with Infospace for local search on mobiles.
