Mobile operator O2 is offering customers full control over how their personal information can be used by the firm’s marketing, financial services and other teams as part of a trial by its parent company, Telefónica.
The company has been at the forefront of personalised mobile marketing, and its loyalty scheme, O2 More, has 6 million customers. Earlier this summer, O2 Media launched its location-based marketing service called O2 Priority Moments, which offers O2 customers location-based discount offers at a range of partner outlets, including Odeon, WHSmith and Zizzi.
The trial is in response to growing concerns about how much personal information should be used for business purposes by technology service providers.
The O2 initiative will reveal what information is held by O2 and how it can be used, which will enable customers to set how they are willing to share that data in exchange for personalised services.
New offers and services are to be launched as part of the initiative as O2 looks to create new revenue streams based on advertising and mobile commerce, but these have yet to be finalised.
Telefónica, like other mobile operators seeking to diversify, has restructured its global business to focus on revenues in the digital and technology sector to supplement income from the traditional mobile network business.
Related stories
O2 offers 6m customers to brands
O2 boosts location-marketing plan
