Brussels, 1 July 2008 - Mobistar and Blyk announce today that they have reached an agreement related to the provision of mobile services. Blyk intends to enter the Belgian market as a mobile virtual network operator using the Mobistar network.
Blyk is the new mobile network for 16-24 year-olds that is funded by advertising. Blyk links young people with brands they like and gives them free texts and minutes every month. Blyk was founded in 2006 in Finland and is now operating in the UK, where members embraced the Blyk concept so quickly that its annual member targets of 100,000 were reached six months ahead of schedule. Entry into Belgium is part of Blyk's next wave of European expansion that was announced last week.
Benoit Scheen, Mobistar CEO: "I am delighted that Blyk has chosen Mobistar for their expansion into Belgium. We strongly believe in the innovative Blyk approach (connecting advertisers with young people) and in the related value it will be bringing to the Belgium telecom market. The figures Blyk already achieved and continues achieving in the UK are impressive. I am convinced that the extensive usage of advertising traffic is an opportunity supporting Mobistar development in the mobile data business and willingness to reach new segments in the Belgian population via partnerships. It confirms Mobistar commitment to the development of mobile data services through continuous investments in its network."
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Mobistar (EURONEXT BRUSSELS: MOBB), one of the major players on the telecommunication market in Belgium and Luxembourg, is active in mobile and fixed telephony, in ADSL, and in other markets with a large growth potential (data transmission, etc). Mobistar belongs to the Orange Group, which combines the most important mobile activities of France Télécom. Mobistar is listed on the Brussels Stock Exchange.
For more information, please contact:
Patti Verdoodt - Press Service - 02.745.82.12 or via press@mail.mobistar.be
Christophe Lemaitre - Investor Relations - 02.745.72.26 or via ir@mail.mobistar.be
Blyk is the new mobile network for 16 -24s that's funded by advertising. Blyk links young people with brands they like and gives them free texts and minutes every month. Blyk was co-founded in 2006 by Pekka Ala-Pietilä and Antti Öhrling and has offices in Helsinki, Finland and London, UK. Blyk is now operating in the UK, with other European markets to follow.
Francine Robbens, PRP Public Relations Partners - Press Service - 02.761.08.10 or via frobbens@prp.be
Irene Nyberg - Blyk Investor Relations - +44.7747.844.854 or via irene@blyk.com