MBlox, a global provider of application-to-person messaging, just completed a capital-raising round of $43.5 million.
Investors included Comerica and Horizon Technology Finance Corp., as well as some of MBlox's existing investors such as Norwest Venture Partners, Scale Ventures, Avanti, Trident, Saints Capital and Stratem. The...
San Francisco's Paymo launched a mobile-payment service in 39 markets around the world, joining an ever-increasing number of startups looking to deliver a mobile wallet.Paymo is targeting digital transactions and micropayments - roughly defined as transactions of $10 or less - with a platform...
Text messaging aggregators such as mBlox, OpenMarket and VeriSign Inc. have built lucrative businesses by serving as middlemen between carriers and companies (or political candidates) looking to send text messages to massive numbers of mobile users.That's exactly what Isaias Sudit wants to do with...
FOR NOW, AT LEAST, Verizon Wireless has stepped away from plans to tack on a drastic 3-cent fee to each vendor-generated message on its network. But there's little doubt that some significant changes are in store for nearly every player on the business-to-consumer text...
The off-deck content world reacted with shock to Verizon Wireless' plan to impose a drastic new fee for vendor-generated text messages. However, it's unclear whether the carrier will actually follow through with the charge."It came completely out of left field," said 4INFO CEO Zaw...
Editor's Note: Welcome to our weekly feature, Analyst Angle. We've collected a group of the industry's leading analysts to give their outlook on the hot topics in the wireless industry.Another CTIA show has come and gone. There was plenty of talk of new applications...
Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama won a text message election held during the CTIA Wireless I.T. & Entertainment 2008 trade show held earlier this month in San Francisco.Obama received 56% of the vote to edge out his Republican opponent John McCain, according to a...
SAN FRANCISCO -- The world of off-deck content may be moving away from premium SMS and onto the wireless Web.Bango this week said it has seen its WAP transactions in the United States increase fourfold in the last three months as carriers increasingly look...
Mobile transaction provider mBlox is partnering with Anderson Software L.L.C. to allow citizens to send anonymous tips via text message.The companies unveiled TipSoft SMS, an extension of Anderson Software's WebTip reporting system in the United States and Canada. The offering encrypts text messages and...
The field of mobile content aggregators has seen more casualties than a "Terminator" movie. For the few remaining players, though, there's still plenty of money to be made in going directly to consumers with goodies like games, wallpapers and - believe it or not...
Mobile transaction powerhouse mBlox tapped digital payment firm Valista to manage its new WAP billing system.ValistaPlus Payments will complement mBlox's existing billing platform with a direct-to-bill charging service for content purchases and other mobile transactions on the wireless Web. The platform will support PayforIt,...
The buzzword du jour: presence. "Presence" is getting a lot of play, from the focus of Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer's opening keynote address on Tuesday to a panel discussion Wednesday. But what the heck does it mean? Like most buzzwords, that depends on...
Editor's Note: Welcome to Reality Check, a feature for RCR Wireless News' new weekly e-mail service, Mobile Content and Culture. We've gathered a group of visionaries and veterans in the mobile content industry to give their insights into the marketplace. In the coming weeks...
Media companies and mainstream brands are moving delicately to use text messages as a way to snuggle up next to mobile users without incurring their wrath. And they're hoping to pick up the tab.SMS marketing campaigns have a long-and decidedly mixed-track record. European marketers...
Editor's Note: Welcome to Reality Check, a feature for RCR Wireless News' new weekly e-mail service, Mobile Content and Culture. We've gathered a group of visionaries and veterans in the mobile content industry to give their insights into the marketplace. In the coming weeks...
Global flight information firm OAG has tapped mBlox to deliver text alerts to travelers in the Star Alliance network.The pact, which will be announced this week, allows OAG customers to use their phones to track the flights of the Star Alliance's 17 member airlines....
MADRID, Spain—Mobile transaction provider mBlox said it is working with application service provider Dynetic to provide an SMS-based bidding service to eBay in Spain. The service uses mBlox’s SMS services to alert customers when they have been outbid on an item on eBay. Customers...
LOS ANGELES--Telescope Inc. and mBlox said they have formed a partnership to offer interactive "participation TV" services to broadcasters and production companies. Telescope provides mobile and interactive TV solutions and operates a large phone voting system. mBlox is a mobile transaction network. Together the...
SUNNYVALE, Calif.—LaNetro Zed’s future became even hazier as mobile data and billing services provider mBlox Inc. announced the acquisition of the content company’s Singapore-based technical center.MBlox, which had hoped to acquire LaNetro Zed for $175 million earlier this year, said it will host the...
SUNNYVALE, Calif.—Skype Ltd. has tapped mobile transaction company mBlox Inc. to power its new text message service. Terms of the deal were not disclosed.Skype SMS allows users to send text messages from computers to mobile phones worldwide. The Internet voice service provider claims more...
MBlox is rumored to be looking to expand both its global footprint and its business plan with a $175 million acquisition of content provider LaNetro Zed. The Sunnyvale, Calif.-based mobile data and billing services provider declined to discuss the buyout, but industry sources say...
Wireless industry trade association CTIA is hoping to spur direct-to-consumer revenues by expanding the industry's short-code program. The industry group, along with short-code administrator NeuStar Inc., announced open registration for six-digit short codes. Wireless subscribers can access content or services by sending a key...
SUNNYVALE, Calif.—Mobile billing and messaging provider mBlox Inc. snagged $25 million in a funding round led by new investor Trident Capital. Existing investors BA Venture Partners, Norwest Venture Partners, Novus Ventures and Avanti Capital Ltd. also joined the round. MBlox, which claims to have...
After just 18 months on the job, Nortel Networks Ltd. announced that its chief marketing officer, Clent Richardson, plans to leave the company March 1. Nortel has not named a replacement and said only that Richardson's decision was based on personal reasons and that...
