Media buyers have begun to voice concern at the size of the subscriber base for ad-funded MVNO Blyk, according to a report in UK publication New Media Age. Last month Mobile Business Briefing reported that the company’s UK operation is growing by 3,000 subscribers a week and has a total customer base of 30,000. However, the new report states that buyers believe the small existing audience has limited their ability to invest in the targeted SMS and MMS advertising opportunities available. According to the report, there is also concern that young people are buying into Blyk but then turning off the advertising messages which they are supposed to opt into.

Blyk launched last September in the UK, giving 16- to 24-year olds free text messages and calls in return for viewing advertising messages. Based in Helsinki, the company was set up by a former president of Nokia and has since announced plans to expand into the Dutch market with a planned launch on Vodafone’s regional network in the second half of this year.