Spot

Commercially launched in France in 2000, customers dialled 777 before an eligible fixed-line or Bouygues Telecom number. The original version interrupted both sides of the conversation with ten-second adverts after the first minute and then roughly every two minutes.

By January 2003, the formula instead played one 20-second advert before connection. It remained listed in September 2008, but its final national withdrawal date is unknown.

Spot made the bargain behind advertising-funded services unusually literal: private conversation time was exchanged for adverts heard by both caller and recipient. Its 46-question profile and keypad responses also turned a prepaid phone call into a targeted direct-marketing channel. The original design exposed the practical cost of that bargain. Action Commerciale linked Spot’s repositioning to reluctance about repeated ten-second interruptions, while the later pre-connection format preserved the funding idea without breaking into the conversation itself.

- Spot kept an ordinary paid call allowance separate from its advertising-funded minutes. - Sponsored calls could connect to eligible French fixed-line numbers and Bouygues Telecom mobiles. - Both participants heard the original advertising breaks; first-time recipients could refuse a sponsored call and join the Stop Spot list.

- Subscribers completed a 46-question profile so adverts could be selected according to their stated interests. - Interactive adverts let customers use the telephone keypad to request information, samples or a commercial callback. - Advertisers named in launch-era trade coverage included the French Army, Yahoo, Axe and Twist.

- Spot followed an almost year-long trial under the code name ET3; 5 April 2000 is the strongest precise commercial-availability date, while the Paris brand reveal took place on 8 April. - On 7 September 2000, Bouygues doubled Spot’s sponsored allowance: from 20 to 40 minutes on the 75-franc Small recharge, and from 60 to 120 minutes on the 145-franc Medium recharge. The separate paid allowances remained 20 and 60 minutes respectively. Spot also became available across the Nomad prepaid range, while advertising breaks became more frequent, occurring every 90 seconds. - By late October 2000, Spot was presented as part of the Nomad range; a March 2001 Action Commerciale assessment linked its repositioning to reluctance about repeated interruptions. - Repeated interruptions were still documented in 2001, but by January 2003 one advert played before connection; the modified formula remained listed in September 2008.

**Region:** France **Associated With:** Bouygues Telecom - developer and operator **Defining Feature:** Original sponsored calls interrupted by audio adverts heard by both parties **Status:** Discontinued — still listed in September 2008; exact withdrawal date unknown.

France

Bouygues Telecom - developer and operator

Original sponsored calls interrupted by audio adverts heard by both parties

Discontinued — still listed in September 2008; exact withdrawal date unknown.

- **Bouygues Document de référence — exercice 2000** - **Bouygues Telecom prepaid and per-second tariff announcement — January 2003** - **Bouygues Telecom tariff guide — September 2008** - **JCDecaux France — Campagne Spot dans les Senior déroulants**

- **Image 1** - **Image 2**

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