You might remember not so very long ago I posted on giffgaff, which is a new mobile (virtual) network, launching in the UK. Well, time has passed, and now giffgaff is pretty much ready to go:
The new ‘people powered’ mobile network, giffgaff will launch on 25th November 2009 at giffgaff.com with free data to all members for a limited period. The launch will be supported by an innovative marketing strategy which puts its members in the driving seat
Defining a new ‘people powered’ business model, giffgaff launches by asking people to help make the network famous in return for free UK mobile calls, texts and mobile internet for a whole year. The original launch campaign is based on a ‘Tool Hire’ concept, whereby a series of fun and eccentric marketing tools will be available for free hire by the public at tools.giffgaff.com/log
The tools are designed to promote giffgaff in an amusing and capturing way, and in true giffgaff sense, those who get involved and simply upload videos of themselves using the tools onto YouTube, have potential to get rewarded – by becoming a V.I.G member (Very Important Giffgaffer) with a SIM that means you pay nothing for UK use of your mobile for a whole year
Sounds interesting, no? It’s from the same kind of mould as Blyk (which was ad-funded), whereby the traditional revenue streams that Operators are looking for are not in evidence. Most MVNOs would traditionally look for voice+text revenue streams, but the likes of some very new ‘network operators’ are seeking to run things in a completely different way – giffgaff is certainly an unusual concept, and I for one will be watching to see how things pick up over the next 12 or so months.