Report: Orange to offer ad-funded mobile services

The ad-funded virtual mobile network operator Blyk is to transfer its users and technology over to Orange after the two companies signed a partnership deal, according to a report in New Media Age.

Blyk gives users free mobile phone usage as long as they are happy to put up with advertising on their handsets. Earlier this year, the company cut down its free minutes, texts, picture messages and data and, according to NMA, it is now dropping its whole business model in favour of the partnership.

Orange, in turn, will start offering some kind of ad-funded service to users, the report says, "as it pushes to become a media business rather than just an operator".

ZDNet UK has asked Orange about its plans, but had not received this information at the time of writing.