If elements of this sound familiar, well, you’re right…a new ad-supported MVNO (free phone service) has been announced in Europe…it is called BLYK, and has been co-founded by Pekka Ala-Pietila, the former president of Nokia, among others. It says the company’s the world’s first ad supported phone service, though that’s not technically true (Xero Mobile, yet to launch, announced something earlier this year, sold the company and plans to begin testing in January).
From this IHT story: Blyk will launch next summer aimed at 16- to 24-year- olds, first in Britain and then elsewhere in Europe. Funding: The shareholdings and the actual amount of financing for the privately held company remains confidential, but Sofinnova Partners, a VC firm based in Paris, said it is an investor in Blyk and would be willing to commit up to $38 million, for Blyk.
Under the plan, subscribers would fill out a questionnaire on the Internet that includes personal details and interests and then receive a telephone SIM card offering an as yet unspecified number of voice minutes and text messages per month. Ad sent to the phone would be based on the answers. One of the other co-founders is Anntti Ohrling, chairman of Contra Advertising, based in Finland, so that will probably take care of advertising ideas, if nothing else.
The company has not yet rented any operator’s network, or at least refuses to disclose anything yet.