InfoSpace Sells Moviso Content Division To FunMobility
By Rafat Ali - Mon 11 Jun 2007 07:32 AM PST
InfoSpace, reeling from the changes in its mobile division and the general market, has sold off its InfoSpace Media Studios (formerly Moviso) to mobile content tech firm FunMobility. This means INSP has sold off its Los Angeles offices, as this was the business formed unit after the acquisition of Moviso from Vivendi Universal in 2003. After the acquisition, FunMobility will have approximately 120 employees between the LA and its Pleasanton offices. Under the deal, FunMobility will also license InfoSpace’s “Mobile Data Services” platform that delivers mobile storefront capability for media content downloads. More details in release.
Moviso was among the original mobile content players, being started in 1999 by Ralph Simon and Anthony Stonefield, sold to Vivendi and then bought by InfoSpace in 2003. This marks the end (the brand, possibly) of a storied mobile content pioneer.
Meanwhile, in a related move, it has extended its deal with Verizon Wireless in which INSP will power pieces of VZW’ mobile infrastructure, including its Mobile Web 2.0 service, which allows customers to access the news, tools and information.
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Posted in: Companies, InfoSpace, Money, VC M&A
