Another mobile operator comes to the UK
Lycamobile launches PAYG SIM
BLIGHTY HAS A NEW mobile virtual network operator (MVNO) which is launching with a pay-as-you-go SIM card today, available from over 85,000 retail outlets.
Dutch outfit Lycamobile has already been launched in six other European countries, including the Netherlands, Belgium, Norway, Sweden, Denmark and has racked up around two million subscribers in these countries.
"We want to be a benchmark MVNO not only in the UK but also globally," said Milind Kangle, the company's CEO.
"We aim to capture 65 per cent of the UK's estimated 10 million mobile subscriber-base for overseas calls."
The company says it plans to hit one million subscribers within 12 months. Being an MVNO, the provider has no infrastructure of its own, but has agreed a deal with Orange to use its hardware.
Lycamobile is investing £10 million to support the launch of its UK SIM card, with most of the dosh going on an advertising, marketing and a PR campaign based around some bloke called 'Globeman'.
National calls will cost from 8p per minute, while international calls will bizarrely be even cheaper starting at 4p per minute depending on who you're calling.
There will be also be free credit available on top-ups and regular promotions.
L'Inq
Lycamobile
Comments
2-3 others as well.
Lycatel is only doing what Lebara mobile , another company starting with N , (cannot remember the name offhand) and carphone warehouse started doing long back. Considering the large immigrant populations in cities like london who do not have exclusive access to a landline to use calling cards, cheap international mobile calls by MVNOs is a very welcome step. I made a mistake of calling overseas once using O2 and was charged 100 times of what skype would have charged me for the same call.A better way
You should have a look at www.1stdial.com you can have far cheaper calls driect from your mobile than these MVNO SIMs. You can buy a locally, set up on the web and dial direct from your mobile. Most European countries are 1p compared with 4p on the MNVO's. Don't lose your main mobile network benefits either.