Higher Education Getting The “Hothand”

Hothand Wireless, which provides “recreation” information to mobile devices, is adding ten university partners to its service, including Georgia Institute of Technology, Ohio State University, and Stanford.

In other words, mobile marketing is taking its potential right to its natural born audience: youth.

As far as I understand it, Hothand offers a mobile Web application with opt-in text messaging that allows students and others access information such as sports scores, standings, schedules, facility availability, contests, polls, and advertising on Web-enabled phones and other wireless devices.

The network is sponsored by merchants that want to reach the university community, and in some cases, a portion of sponsorship funds or merchant fees are allocated to the school.

But if you’re not a student, you’re not in luck. The service is only available to students and staff members in partner schools. In addition, registration is required to access the service.

The company launched its University Mobile Network with a pilot program at the University of California at Los Angeles, which was sponsored by Best Buy Mobile. UCLA students also took advantage of special deals from Subway delivered to their phones.