Broadband Digital Group, which offers the ad-supported FreeDSL service, on Monday tapped DoubleClick Inc. for its ad serving DART technology, allowing the ad company to dip its feet further into broadband.
Broadband Digital Group was founded by Chad and Ryan Steelberg, who were also co-founders of AdForce, which they subsequently sold to CMGI. Interestingly, the entrepreneurs chose to partner with former rival DoubleClick rather than with the firm they started themselves.
This deal moves DoubleClick further into the broadband arena. The company last year struck similar deals with high-speed access providers RoadRunner and Comcast Online Communications.
“We are committed to doing everything possible to enhance our customers’ online experience,” said Ryan Steelberg, president of Broadband Digital Group.
“By aggregating our subscriber information we can leverage DART technology to allow our partners to deliver relevant messages, while safeguarding consumer privacy.”
FreeDSL has so far rounded up 900,000 registered users for its service. The company collects demographic information about subscribers so that it may better target advertising to them. It then provides them with access in exchange for their watching ads.