Blyk has landed, mobile operators take heed.

Launched on Monday this week, Blyk is a new mobile MNVO (mobile network virtual operator) to hit the UK where everything is ‘free’. Users of the service will get 217 free texts and 42 free minutes when the insert the Blyk SIM into their handset.

It’s paid for by advertising where users of the service will receive up to 6 MMS advertising messeages per day. You have to be 16-24 years old to play and the segmentation model and value exchange between Blyk and user is such that the free service is given in exchange fo personal information. So, potentially a very tightly targetted advertising indeed.

Blyk CEO sas:

“We have spent the last year developing a unique, robust advertising content engine, and whilst the technology we are using is incredibly advanced, the main premise of Blyk is driven by three basic principles–ease of use, interaction, and relevance of communication.”

And the killer?

It’s invite only.

Watch the kids go mad for something you can’t see.

Apparently they are distributing invite codes at Freshers fairs at the moment.

It asumes that the individual has a mobile already so that they can insert their Blyk SIM. When their ‘free’ time runs out they can either ‘top-up’ or throw in their regular PAYG SIM from ‘monolithic operator X’ into their handset.

Users of the service need to provide quite detailed information to make the advertising engine worth it’s salt. Apparently the segmentation already narrowed to 16-24 year olds can be further focused into product specific categories i.e. 17 year old boys who love Halo 3.

At the time of writing the Blyk site is down (demand? ) so I can’t comment on the proposed service design, but I’d be let down if there wasn’t something to manage, share use and distribute content online. Then again, maybe it’s all about keeping it imple.

I know from my own experience working with large Telcos (BT, Orange, Vodafone) that their segmentation is vague to say the least but Blyk has the potential to go super-focused and generate some super-revenue.

What a fantastic idea. I want one. I’m too old.

Disruption alert.

Disruption for the telcos and for advertising.

Links: Blyk

UPDATE: Blyk has come under fire for failing to deliver MMS users to the Orange, T-Mobile and Vidafone networks because the connections are ’still under construction’. Very embarrassing indeed given that it delivers its 6 ads a day using MMS.

Watch this one roll.