British mobile carrier 3 has teamed with GetJar to offer its subscribers a huge library of free applications, in an effort to boost data revenues.

Using GetJar, 3's customers can download the most popular free mobile applications, including Google Maps for Mobile, Yahoo Go, eBuddy, mig33, MyWaves and Nimbuzz. The wireless carrier aims to broaden its service offering for consumers and encourage uptake of mobile applications.

"What we are discovering is that mobile operators used to sell content but are slowly realizing that free applications will drive data usage and revenues," said Bill Scott vice president of business development and sales at GetJar in Lithuania.

"Free apps will help drive people to use mobile Internet and mobile data," he said. "We believe that if you are going to get a new technology adopted you have to give some critical part of it for free."

Its partnership with GetJar gives 3 subscribers access to a large mobile applications portfolio.

GetJar provides an open and free environment for application developers and consumers, with over 10,000 free applications available for anyone with a Java, Symbian, Windows Mobile, Palm, BlackBerry, or Flash Lite-compatible phone, and will soon launch a catalog of Android applications in 2008.

"Whats worth noting here is that we have a tier-one carrier is breaking away from the traditional model and giving applications away for free," Mr. Scott said.

The applications are ad-supported, but 3 has not announced what brands will be advertising.

For most carriers, active data users are around 20 percent or less of subscribers.
GetJar thinks it should be 80 percent.

Free applications in social networking, video, messaging, navigation, games, etc. boost a carrier's mobile data plan adoption and mobile Internet use.

This is the most immediate benefit to launching a GetJar channel.

There is a revenue-share opportunity from sponsored applications.

Google, Yahoo, Opera, and many more mobile application developers pay GetJar per download to distribute their applications.

Around the world, depending on the market, developers pay GetJar between $0.10 to $1.00 per download. GetJar shares this with its distribution partners.

"GetJar's goal is to provide a community where developers can upload their content for free testing, access a broad group of users to download it and get advice from the community about how to improve their application," Mr. Scott said.