O2 And 3 To Merge Social Networks

Mobile operators 3 and O2 have struck an agreement to merge their social networks.

A new mobile social network, EyeVibe, will succeed 3’s SeeMeTV and O2’s LookAtMeTV, from the end this month, when the two operators have finished testing the service.

The two offerings have proved valuable money-spinners for their operators and are both built on a platform provided by Emap subsidiary, YoSpace.

Both 3 and O2 claim that between them the two services have racked up 32 million video downloads since 3 launched SeeMeTV in October 2005, and O2 created LookAtMeTV in June 2006.

Users pay between 10p and 49p to download clips and can upload as much content as they like. The contributing user receives a share of revenue generated from people downloading their videos.

It is believed that operators including Vodafone, Orange and T-Mobile could join the service.

The new service will be backed by a powerful marketing campaign that will run through Emap titles across TV, magazines and radio, as well as online.

O2: www.o2.co.uk 3: www.three.co.uk