Motorola to sell wireless messaging unit PLUS Verve/AccuWeather and Bebo

By Mickey Alam Khan

February 25, 2009

Visto app on Motorola's Moto Q phone

Motorola to sell wireless messaging unit to Visto

Troubled mobile phone maker Motorola Inc. has agreed to sell its Good Technology wireless messaging service to Visto, creator of a mobile push and synchronization platform for service providers.

The deal will bolster Redwood City, CA-based Visto's position as a deliverer of a complete range of mobile messaging solutions for enterprises through wireless carriers such as AT&T, Sprint and T-Mobile as well as handset makers.

Good Technology offers wireless messaging, mobile VPN data access, device management and handheld security for companies worldwide.

Terms of the deal were not disclosed. The transaction is expected to close by month's end.

AccuWeather.com content on Verve-created Miami Herald mobile site

Verve to include AccuWeather.com content in media mobile sites
AccuWeather.com has struck a joint deal to offer local weather content to customers of Verve Wireless Inc., a mobile enabler for local media firms.

Per the arrangement, AccuWeather.com, State College, PA, will offer Verve with content such as current conditions and day and night forecasts, as well as weather alerts. Available in English and Spanish, the AccuWeather.com content is searchable by ZIP code or city and state.

"This allows our partners to get a much more robust weather offering," said Greg Hallinan, vice president of marketing at Verve, Encinitas, CA. "With real-time updates on mobile devices, this is a great opportunity to bring a much better, more appealing module into their mobile products."

Socially mobile on Bebo

The Verve Local Content Gateway lets local media companies and advertisers go mobile on major devices and across wireless carriers.

Consequent to the deal, Verve will distribute weather content from AccuWeather.com to 134 newspaper and television broadcast mobile Web sites. The list includes the New York Times Regional Group, Media News Group and Freedom Communications.

"What we're helping them address is a more complete mobile offering," Mr. Hallinan said.

"We're already providing news, traffic updates and sport scores," he said. "This allows them to round out another piece of information on mobile. Weather is a very important category on mobile and this adds value and utility to our partners' properties."

Bebo Open Mobile program available to Canadian carriers
AOL's Bebo social network will extend its Bebo Open Mobile program to major wireless carriers in Canada including Bell Mobility, Rogers Wireless, Virgin Mobile Canada and Fido.

An estimated 20 million Canadians will now be able to use the 2326 short code to message Bebo friends. Canada is regarded as a growth market for both Bebo and mobile.

Bebo Open Mobile was launched earlier this month as a global program for carriers, handset makers and mobile software developers. Participants can use program tools to support Bebo social networking services to mobile consumers.