InfoSpace wins VZW biz, offloads content operations

InfoSpace Inc. scored another carrier customer for its wireless Web service even as it continued to beat a retreat from the content space.
The Seattle-area company expanded its relationship with Verizon Wireless, agreeing to provide hosting, infrastructure and subscription management services for the operator’s Mobile Web 2.0 offering. The announcement follows a similar deal unveiled last week with the U.K.’s Virgin Mobile.
“A key selling point for us was the flexibility of the platform that allowed us to tailor pieces to fit our needs for this deployment, and we’re pleased to continue our longstanding relationship with (InfoSpace),” said Jesse Money, executive director of consumer multimedia data services for Verizon Wireless.
Meanwhile, InfoSpace spun off its content business-formerly known as Moviso-to FunMobility for an undisclosed sum. FunMobility, which has gained traction with user-generated content applications, said it will maintain the Los Angeles-based studio, thereby boosting its employee count to a total of 120.
Under terms of the deal, FunMobility will license InfoSpace’s content storefront technology. Shares of InfoSpace were essentially unaffected by the news.
“We have a great opportunity to combine our mobile assets and industry knowledge with FunMobility’s mobile application expertise to fully leverage our combined media library,” said Ken Nowak, who was named vice president and general manager of the new FunMobility Media Studio.