O2 has announced the launch of a new service that allows customers to store valuable personal information to a free, web-accessible account.

My bluebook will keep track of contacts, text messages, pictures, and video clips that can be stored online for personal use, or shared with friends and family.

Anyone who has ever lost their entire address book because of a failure to back it up correctly will realise the value of this free account. O2 says that it is being launched because 80-85% of mobile users they surveyed wanted to be able to back up their contacts easily.

Twenty-five per cent want to be able to backup photos, while a further 10-15% want to store texts securely.

In order to upload data, O2 customers send them to 40202 from their mobile. At the moment, they can then print photos or emblazon them on various products. From early next year, O2 plans to let My bluebook subscribers to upload any text or picture message they create or receive to the site.

The company will then extend the service, but not until May, to let users backup address book automatically.