Blyk to launch mobile content service

Ad-supported MVNO Blyk has been around for a while now, launching in the UK in September 2007. It's always been about giving users free voice calls and texts in exchange for receiving adverts, mostly via SMS and MMS.

There hasn't been a big angle for mobile games publishers, but there could be soon. MocoNews is reporting that Blyk is launching a new partnership program for mobile content firms, together with mobile marketing firm Velti.

The new scheme will involve placing content links into SMS and MMS messages, driving users to other sites. UK CEO Shaun Gregory reckons it "cuts down on the pain and barriers" of finding content on the mobile web.

It's due to kick off in January, when Blyk will announce the first content partners for the new scheme.

Will mobile games firms be among them? An increasing number have their own WAP sites to sell games, to which they may want to drive traffic.

We'll have to wait and see. Blyk may have more interaction with the mobile games industry in 2009, if it ever launches a fully-fledged content portal of its own including ad-funded mobile games. No news on that yet, though.