Txts r up.

New research for third quarter versus second shows that there was a 22 percent increase in the number of consumers who received SMS text ads in the United States.

Mobile media measurement firm M:Metrics said an estimated 41 million U.S. consumers got text ads versus 19.3 million in Britain, which registered an 11.8 percent jump this third quarter over the prior. An estimated 4.77 million U.S. consumers responded to those text ads, generating an 11 percent response rate.

"I think it's just the fact that the entire space is becoming more interesting for marketers," said Mark Burk, industry analyst at M:Metrics, London. "The increase you see now is because the consumer brands are going into mobile."

According to M:Metrics, 9.96 million U.S. subscribers said they took part in polls and contests, and 5.14 million said they responded to text ads they received. Also, 29 percent of U.S. subscribers who received an SMS ad said they received ads for downloads for their mobile phone such as ringtones.

"Yes, operators are the main source of SMS ads," Mr. Burk pointed out.

Mobile operators -- also known as wireless carriers -- account for a larger share of the text ads sent in the EU 5, or Britain, France, Germany, Spain and Italy. These operators generated 14.9 percent of all the text ads received in these markets, M:Metrics found. New mobile phone plans, direct Internet access and bundled offers were pitched.

Another 11.8 percent of SMS ads received by mobile consumers in the EU 5 focused on user information -- again from the operators. And 5.7 percent of the text ads likely were entertainment-related.