Phorm: BT system 'most definitely' online by end of 2009

BT: Umm... err... yeah?

Phorm CEO Kent Ertugrul has announced his firm's ISP-level adware system will "most definitely" be live across the BT broadband network by the end of 2009. BT seems less sure.

In an interview with the financial newswire Dow Jones, Ertugrul said: "We're not able to comment on specific timings but our work with BT is the most advanced."

"It'll most definitely be online by the end of the year," he added, commenting on specific timings.

BT and Phorm ran a third, much delayed, trial of the "WebWise" monitoring and targeted advertising system in December.

Speaking to The Register this afternoon, BT declined to commit to Phorm's "most definite" deadline. "We've made no comment or statement about the timing of implementation," said BT Group chief press officer Adam Liversage. He said BT was still assessing the findings of the trial, but that it still intends to proceed to full rollout.

Asked whether BT agreed with Ertugrul's statement Liversage said: "I neither agree nor disagree with it in the absence of any further information." Clear? ®