Alltel Wireless has launched a branded mobile search app, presenting users with the equivalent of a dedicated mobile search key on select handsets. The LG8600 handset will be the first on the market with the BREW client pre-installed; other handsets will follow over the coming months. A dedicated search key on the device, marked by a magnifying glass search icon, will launch the Alltel-branded search box…the company has used dedicated keys in the past to present users with games and ringtones.

As mobile search takes its rightful place as the de facto interface to content and – like location services – becomes an embedded feature of a wide variety of mobile services, it makes business sense to offer mobile search as both a service and a feature directly on the device. (This is no doubt one reason why Google has been so quick to pre-install its service on Samsung and LG handsets, and why Nokia has also been so keen to deliver its package of search services across its product range.)

In the case of mobile operators, such prominent placement will likely go a long way toward growing awareness and use of search. However, the fact that one of the most popular search terms is “Google,” (a point hotly debated at all the mobile search conferences I have chaired to date) speaks volumes about the search behavior operators will need to modify if they want to take on the role of search provider. Nonetheless, the move by Alltel demonstrates operators can aspire to play a pivotal role by offering their own branded search experience, and should examine all their options. (I’ll have more on mobile search developments in a roundup post later this week.)