Motricity acquires InfoSpace's mobile unit for $135M

Mobile content services and solutions provider Motricity announced a definitive agreement to acquire wireless technologies developer InfoSpace's mobile services division for approximately $135 million in cash, a deal brokered with investments from financier Carl Icahn and investment bank Advanced Equities. InfoSpace's mobile service unit provides carriers with managed services infrastructure spanning search, storefronts, portals and messaging--the acquisition expands Motricity's customer base to include 11 of the 13 largest North American carriers, including AT&T, Verizon Wireless, Sprint, T-Mobile, Bell Mobility and Alltel. It also grows Motricity's international presence by adding offices in the U.K., Paris, and the Netherlands as well as new operator deals with Virgin UK, KPN and Vodafone.

Upon closing, Ryan Wuerch will remain as Motricity chairman and CEO, while Steve Elfman, who currently serves as executive vice president of InfoSpace Mobile, will be named Motricity's president and COO. Look for more details on the deal in Wednesday's FierceMobileContent On the Hot Seat interview with Wuerch.

For more on the Motricity/InfoSpace deal:
- read this release [1]

Related articles:
Motricity [2] buys GoldPocket Wireless
Motricity [3] raises $40M in VC
InfoSpace [4] extends AT&T partnership
EMI files $100M royalty lawsuit against InfoSpace [5]
Twistbox acquires Atlas Mobile from InfoSpace [6]