AOL has launched a new service through its mobile advertising arm Monday, aimed to help publishers sell mobile ad space more broadly and efficiently, MediaPost reported.

This new feature allows publishers to offer inventory across ad networks via Third Screen Media, the mobile ad division of Platform-A, the company's digital advertising business.

With the technology, these mobile sites are able to allocate inventory based on ad network, device subject area, and location, among other criteria on the Web interface, which makes the selling process as flexible and extensive as it is on the desktop Internet, MediaPost reported.

“Being able to send ad requests to one or more ad networks, or any sales force where they might get an ad filled has become a fairly easy thing to do on the traditional Internet,” said Kent Johnson, director of business operations for Third Screen Media, according to MediaPost. "With this new (partitioning) feature, publishers will be able to make all ad requests from one location and get back responses to one location.”

AOL acquired Third Screen last year in its initial effort to enter the mobile ad business, MediaPost reported.

According to research firm eMarketer, mobile advertising is expected to reach US$1.7 billion this year and rise to $6.5 billion by 2012, MediaPost reported.