The mobile advertising revolution has been just around the corner for years now, and according to a new report put out by the folks over at Heavy Reading, it’s going to stay around the corner for at least another 18 to 24 months. There’s a quick chart which nicely sums up just why it’s going to take so long for mobile ads to become a real driver in the industry:

I think the final limitation is also the greatest in mobile advertising. Because cell phones are still largely seen as tools for communication, and not as entertainment devices — although this is changing — consumer attitudes towards advertising are going to be markedly different from people they expect when they’re watching television, reading a magazine, or browsing a celebrity gossip blog.

AT&T already sends me periodic text messages shilling for ringtones I can buy at their Media Mall, and they fill me with a rage that most advertisements don’t. If I was on a plan where I was also paying for every text I received, I imagine I’d smash my phone. This is a stumbling point, though, not a game ender. People’s attitudes towards the tech in their life can change, and the report predicts mobile ad revenue will top $10 billion by 2013.