Blyk, the virtual network for young people offering free minutes and texts for adverts, has been officially launched in the UK.
Blyk is aimed solely at mobile users aged 16-24, and promises 43 free minutes and 217 texts a month to subscribers. All they have to do in return is to accept MMS adverts from mainstream brands like Borders, Coke, JJB Sports, Xbox and Adidas being sent to their phones.
The service is apparently ‘invitation only’, but people can get invited by sending a text to a shortcode number. They’ll then receive a free Sim card to put in their MMS-enabled phones.
When signing up, users must enter a demographic profile of themselves including personal information and their tastes in fashion, music and so on. They’ll then receive targeted adverts from up to 40 brands that have signed up so far.
The free allowance is cross-network but only in the UK and if they go over their allowance, they’ll pay only 15p per minute for calls and 10p per text. Browsing the mobile Internet (Including Blyk’s own site) will cost 99p per MB.
[Blyk website]
Vodafone’s mobile internet rates might suck like the vacuum of outer-space but it seems the company is looking to make up for its shortcomings in other areas. UK customers on a Vodafone contract that costs £40 and up can now take advantage of unlimited free calls to landlines or unlimited free text messages. Vodafone UK’s chief marketing officer, Tim Yates, commented:
These new offers within our pay monthly price plans give customers great value for money. If a customer is mostly a talker then they can take advantage of unlimited calls to UK landlines at no extra charge or if they prefer to text, then they can take advantage of unlimited text messages.
There don’t seem to be any specifics about the new price plans on Vodafone’s site yet, though the £40 and up price plans that are there currently seem to already include unlimited text messages; hmmm…
Are we being a tad spoilt by feeling that you should be able to get both unlimited landline calls and text messages for £40 quid? Probably. Now just hurry up and sort out your mobile internet pricing Vodafone, preferably before the new ultra-fast HSDPA speeds arrive.
(Via Tech.co.uk)
