Mobile Vikings, a startup based in Hasselt, Belgium, has a big dream: free mobile Internet for everyone. It hopes to do this by having companies foot the bill. In more specific terms, Mobile Vikings is hoping to third parties pay users’ mobile bills if they make purchases via an app. The smartphone app rewards users when they check in to a participating location with discounts. If a user makes a purchase using a deal on the app, they’ll get “Viking Points,” which can be exchanged for credit to be used for voice minutes, text messages or mobile data. In April, Mobile Vikings will introduce this daily-deals-style app to encourage users to support local businesses in Belgium. It hopes to roll it out in the U.S. next year. (Ars Technica, The Verge)
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