This study from Arbitron and Telephia looks at the use of audio services on mobile phones, including listening to free or subscription radio, downloading music or podcasts directly to the phone, and “sideloading” audio files from a PC or MP3 player. As audio content becomes increasingly popular, it will have a growing importance for mobile advertising.

The study was conducted by an online survey of over 2,000 mobile subscribers earlier this year. A couple of the key conclusions:

• The main customer segment that listens to mobile audio is in the 25 to 44 age group.

• Mobile Audio users are big consumers of entertainment and media of all kinds.

• Mobile audio users in general would prefer to receive free content that contains commercials rather than pay a small subscription fee.