The Trade Desk has integrated Digital Envoy’s NetAcuity IP intelligence data into its advertising platform, giving marketers additional signals for building audience segments beyond conventional geographic targeting. The global integration adds internet service provider (ISP) and mobile carrier information to audience activation workflows across the open internet, including connected TV (CTV).
The partnership is particularly relevant to telecommunications and technology advertisers, which often need to reach consumers based on their existing service relationships or organizational context. Instead of targeting audiences only by location, advertisers can combine network-level information with other available audience data to develop segments aligned with specific campaign objectives.
NetAcuity maps IP addresses to geographic locations and provides network and contextual intelligence. Digital Envoy says its solution combines multiple data sources and real-world device signals to support advertising and other IP intelligence applications. Through The Trade Desk, selected NetAcuity data is now available for building ID-based audiences that can be activated across supported digital advertising environments.
Moving beyond location-based targeting
Geographic targeting remains useful for campaigns focused on particular cities, regions or service areas. However, location alone cannot distinguish between consumers using different internet providers or identify every audience characteristic relevant to a campaign.
The new integration is designed to add that layer of information. For example, a telecommunications company seeking customers who may consider switching providers could use network and carrier-level signals to develop more relevant audience segments. Technology advertisers could also use organization-level signals to support campaigns aimed at consumers associated with particular business environments.
These are potential targeting applications rather than guaranteed outcomes. The announcement does not provide campaign results, conversion improvements or independent evidence that the additional signals consistently identify consumers who are ready to change providers.
The audiences are available globally at launch, including in Europe, the Middle East and Africa (EMEA) and Asia-Pacific (APAC). Digital Envoy says the integration is intended to address markets where limited IP visibility can make audience segmentation more difficult.
Integration with Audience Unlimited
The new segments are also available through The Trade Desk’s Audience Unlimited offering, allowing advertisers to combine Digital Envoy’s network and carrier-level insights with other third-party data.
For media buyers, this creates another option for constructing audience segments within an existing demand-side platform rather than assembling every data component independently. Campaigns can then be activated across supported open-internet inventory, including CTV.
The operational benefit will depend on data availability, audience scale, matching quality and compatibility with each campaign’s targeting requirements. Network information may add useful context, but it does not necessarily identify a specific person, household or purchasing intention with certainty.
The integration also raises familiar questions about data governance. IP addresses can qualify as personal data under some privacy frameworks, depending on how they are processed and whether individuals can be identified. Advertisers will need to understand the provenance of audience signals, applicable consent requirements and the controls governing their use across markets.
Market Landscape
Digital advertising platforms are expanding the range of data signals available for audience segmentation as marketers seek alternatives and complements to traditional identifiers. IP intelligence offers information about approximate location, network providers and connection context, but its usefulness depends on the accuracy and granularity of the underlying data.
The IAB Tech Lab’s guidance on ID-less advertising solutions distinguishes approaches that depend on identifying signals from those designed to operate without them. This highlights an important distinction for advertisers: NetAcuity’s integration supports ID-based audience activation, rather than representing a wholly identifier-free targeting solution. IAB Tech Lab
The integration also fits a wider move toward combining third-party data with DSP capabilities. The Trade Desk’s Audience Unlimited offering gives buyers a way to combine data from multiple providers, while NetAcuity adds network and carrier-level attributes to that mix.
However, IP-derived information has limitations. A network or carrier association does not necessarily establish an individual’s identity, preferences or intention to switch providers. Shared connections, mobile network configurations and changing IP assignments can affect interpretation. Advertisers therefore need to evaluate segment accuracy and scale rather than assume that additional signals automatically produce better targeting.
Strategic Outlook
- For telecommunications advertisers: Network-level segments could support acquisition campaigns aimed at consumers associated with particular providers. Actual switching intent would still need to be established through reliable evidence.
- For technology marketers: Organization-level signals may provide another way to develop business-oriented audiences, subject to data coverage and the accuracy of the underlying mappings.
- For agencies and DSP users: Access through an existing buying platform could simplify audience activation and reduce the need to manage a separate data workflow.
- For international campaigns: Global availability, including EMEA and APAC, gives advertisers another targeting option in markets where IP-derived signals may offer additional context.
- For privacy and governance teams: ID-based targeting requires careful review of data provenance, permitted uses, applicable privacy laws and disclosure obligations. IP-derived signals should not be assumed to be anonymous merely because they are based on network information.
The strategic question is whether the additional data produces measurable improvements in audience relevance, reach or acquisition costs. Digital Envoy and The Trade Desk have confirmed the integration’s availability, but have not published segment match rates, pricing, conversion lift or independent performance results. Those measures will determine its practical value to advertisers.
Top Insights
- New audience signals: NetAcuity adds ISP, mobile carrier and organization-level information to The Trade Desk’s targeting options.
- Global availability: The integration includes markets across EMEA and APAC, as well as CTV and other open-internet inventory.
- Flexible data combinations: Advertisers can combine NetAcuity segments with other third-party data through Audience Unlimited.
- Telecom acquisition use cases: Carrier-level signals could help support campaigns aimed at consumers considering service changes.
- Accuracy remains a key test: Additional data does not guarantee accurate identification of individuals or improved campaign performance.
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