European carrier starting to block ads at network level in UK and Italy

LONDON — Mobile company Three is becoming the first European carrier to introduce ad blocking at a network level, giving digital advertisers more headaches.

Three will start the ad blocking on its UK and Italian carriers, in a deal announced Friday with Israeli company Shine.

Digital publishers and Internet companies have tried different tactics to fight ad blockers as apps become more readily available to consumers, but this deal goes beyond apps and introduces ad blocking at a carrier level. 

Three was light on details, but said it will rapidly roll out the technology to their other Three Group operators. The company said the goal wasn't to eliminate mobile advertising, but to get rid of certain types of ads. Read more...