After BT (NYSE: BT) concluded its much-delayed trial of Phorm‘s controversial ISP-based behavioural ad targeting technology in December, the advertising company is trying to keep those precious few positive moments up in the spotlight.

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“We’re not able to comment on specific timings but our work with BT is the most advanced, (and) it’ll most definitely be online by the end of the year,” CEO Kent Ertugrul told Dow Jones (via CNN.com). Still no word on Carphone Warehouse or Virgin Media (NSDQ: VMED), however, both of which Phorm last year said were ready to trial the technology but which have said precious little on the matter since.

Phorm has a knack for committing its potential clients to using its technology before even they have made any announcements as such. In December, Phorm said: “BT has informed (us) that it expects to move towards deployment.” But the most BT has said on the topic is: “After assessing the findings, we will make further announcements on this website concerning the launch of the service for BT Total Broadband customers.”

Ertugrul was able to repeat the Phorm sales pitch (that a share of ad revenue from Phorm could help ISPs profit in a crowded, plateauing market) to Dow Jones: “Now, in an environment where websites are struggling to survive commercially, there’s a door open to revenue which has been shut off.”  The technology anonymously profiles users by categorising their every website visit in a client-side cookie, which is then interrogated by partner publishers to serve up relevant ads.