mBlox,


location based services

mBlox, the world's largest mobile transaction network and the recently named provider of Skype's SMS service, has acquired LaNetro Zed's technical centre in Singapore as the base from which to open operations in Asia.mBlox has acquired LaNetro Zed's Singaporean-based network operation centre and is hosting LaNetro's direct Premium SMS connections to mobile operators in Malaysia and the Philippines. LaNetro Zed's eleven Singapore employees also joined mBlox as its first Asian-based employees. The new entity will be renamed mBlox Asia Pacific Pte Ltd.Spanish multinational, LaNetro Zed has a presence in 15 countries on four continents. Its focus is the development and marketing of games, entertainment, personalisation products, communication tools and location based services (LBS). The company markets its products and services directly to the consumer under the Zed brand and distributes them through more than 45 mobile network operators including in some of the world's major markets, such as China, USA and Europe.LaNetro Zed is retaining ownership of all these content and marketing operations and is using mBlox's mobile transaction network as its preferred mobile billing infrastructure. "The agreement confirms a growing trend in the mobile industry where large integrated companies are recognising the benefits of outsourced connectivity and billing and are moving to more focused business models," mBlox said.According to mBlox, the agreement strengthens both companies' position in their respective markets. "By hosting its connectivity business with mBlox, LaNetro Zed is focusing its resources on the development and marketing of products and services based on its own intellectual property, thus enabling it to advance its leadership position in the mobile content space. For mBlox, the deal provides a platform on which to open Asian operations, bringing the world's largest mobile transaction network to the world's largest region."mBlox opened its office in Australia last November.