The popular term for user-generated or personalized mobile content is Mobile 2.0. This represents a new mindset, where the focus is on the consumer, and mobile phones become an integral part of the collaborative activity being done across the internet today.

"It comes down to the consumer," says Greg Clayman, senior vice president of MTV Networks, speaking at the CTIA's mobile entertainment seminar, part of CTIA Wireless 2007, in Orlando, Florida, US. "If we really connect with our consumers, everything else will pretty much fall into place."

User-generated content such as blogs, photo sharing, video rearrangements and social networking are not unique to the mobile space - but going mobile has made these activities easy to access anywhere, anytime, and enabled a real-time element not possible on the "wired" internet.

"We need to ensure that our customers can fully express themselves on their phones and take their favorite what-I-want, when-I-want media and online experiences mobile," Clayman says.

The real-time element of mobile technologies is playing an important role in how content is being created and shared at a mind-boggling pace. Viral sharing, as it is
known, may be uncomfortable for some but it is also a catalyst for exponential media consumption.

"MTV audiences love to take mobile content and share it in their own way," Clayman says. He says it may be scary for some to lose control of their product but content that is consumed via user-generated blogs, websites and portals ultimately encourages more consumption and, in turn, more revenue.

Donna Campbell, executive director of Ericsson Mobility World in North America, says Ericsson's strategy is to develop solutions such as Me on TV, a collaboration with TV-production company Endemol, to build new revenue streams for operators and media companies. "User-generated content engages users in the brand and drives consumption of content," she says.

One example of engaging users in the brand comes from Norwegian national broadcaster NRK, which in 2006 implemented an Ericsson-powered interactive mobile TV solution for viewers. It enables the audience to vote for music videos, and chat with each other and with the host of the program - all via their mobiles.

These types of interactive features doubled viewing time for mobile programs - an important statistic for advertisers and content producers.

There are several business models emerging that seek to place a value on user-generated content. For example, network operator 3 UK pays customers for popular video content while Google Video and media-sharing community Metacafe use revenue-sharing models in which content providers get a portion of advertising revenues.

The most important aspect of user-generated content, and the mantra at this year's CTIA, is that the consumer must be at the center of all business decisions. User-generated and personalized content does just that while increasing media consumption and creating new revenue opportunities.