Free Ad-funded Mobile Operator to Launch in UK

NETIMPERATIVE -- Nov 2 -- Blyk, a free mobile operator aimed at young people, is to launch in the UK in mid-2007, and will be funded by advertising rather than customer subscriptions.  Co-founded by Pekka Ala-Pietilä, former president of Nokia and Antti Öhrling. Scheduled to launch first in the UK market in mid-2007, with other European markets to follow.

Mark Brooks: One to watch. If they're successful it could change mobile operators pricing models worldwide, and undermine them. It all depends on the success (advertiser perspective) and invasiveness (user perspective) the ads are. In their favor, they are a fresh entrant with low overheads and have experienced top level players on board from the company that know mobile the best, Nokia. If I were a UK dating site I'd be hammering on their door asap.