US mobile users and wireless carriers are warming up to mobile social networking, Frost & Sullivan says in a new report. According to the study, "An Insight into US Mobile Social Networking Markets," revenue from on-deck social networking services will reach $412 million by 2012, with even more money coming from related mobile advertising.

Mobile social networking is driven by the convergence of three main trends: Emergence of popular social networking services on the Internet, increasing penetration of the mobile Web and emergence of mobile advertising, the market researcher explains. Because of this, it "represents an additional monetization opportunity for the mobile communication value chain participants."

The ability to deliver targeted advertising to the mobile social community will require close cooperation between advertising solution providers, social networks and operators - as well as enough consumers willing to divulge personal data to make the model viable, Frost says.