Mywaves claims 4x traffic increase

Mobile video startup mywaves has seen traffic increase more than fourfold over the past three months, the startup said, with viewers tuning in for an average of 20 minutes per visit.
The Sunnyvale, Calif.-based outfit hopes to become a kind of mobile YouTube, allowing users to access both professionally created and user-generated Internet videos on their handsets. Mywaves claims to attract more than 1.25 million unique visitors a month, with the average viewer tuning in once a week and watching for about 20 minutes each visit.
“When we look at our mobile traffic and usage statistics, we are delighted that we are now on par with some of the biggest portals in the mobile Internet,” said mywaves CEO Rajeev Raman. “This level of engagement and reach makes it possible for content owners and advertisers to finally connect with the mobile consumer.”
Mywaves competes in a crowded ad-supported mobile video space against fellow startups such as Zannel, Mojungle, 4thMedia and Eyespot. While a handful of such companies seem to be gaining traction among wireless users, whether they can convert traffic into advertising dollars is far from certain.