InfoSpace, Inc. (Nasdaq:INSP), a leading developer of mobile technologies, will today announce that it is supplying Virgin Mobile with its complete suite of mobile platform services, including the addition of a customized, integrated mobile search solution. As a result, Virgin Mobile will be able to offer its subscribers the ability to search the web, WAP sites and Virgin Mobile's own portal and storefront providing access to ringtones, games and other premium content.
InfoSpace's next generation mobile search solution for Virgin Mobile will reflect the company's recent partnerships with FAST Search & Transfer, a leading developer of search technologies, and InfoGin, a leader in the field of Web-to-mobile content adaptation. Virgin Mobile will benefit from FAST's superior search software, relevancy algorithms, crawling and indexing technologies and InfoGin's Web-to-mobile content adaptation technology to deliver the most comprehensive and commercially deployed mobile search solution. InfoSpace's industry-leading metasearch technology seamlessly blends results from several sources including Storefronts, WAP and Web indexing, as well as Portal Search. With the InfoSpace's mobile search solution, operators can maintain visibility while providing users the advantages of a comprehensive mobile search experience that enables searching for any content or information, regardless of its origin or format, using a single search box.
Nick White, Head of Digital Services and NPD at Virgin Mobile, said: “If the impact of the internet on our daily lives, as well as the global economy, has taught the mobile world anything, it is that it's no longer about searching for the next killer application - search itself is the killer application. Virgin mobile is a firm believer that the there should be no limit to the content available for our users - from the latest celeb gossip to searches for entertainment in the local area or even the most cryptic piece of trivia - it must be available to everyone, everywhere. We are very pleased to extend our relationship with InfoSpace into this exciting new area.â€
George Fraser, Managing Director - Europe, InfoSpace Mobile, said: “The mobile phone has revolutionized communication when on the move. Mobile search is the next stage of this revolution and brings all of the world's knowledge to mobile users' fingertips. We have been working with Virgin Mobile on mobile content since 2001, so we know what their subscribers expect and demand. Our intimate understanding of the mobile portal, combined with our heritage in online search and directories, means we are uniquely placed to enable operators to really exploit the potential of mobile search.â€
InfoSpace already provides mobile search services for numerous operators worldwide including Sprint in North America, which included the world's first cellular location-based search service.
About Virgin Mobile
Virgin Mobile is the UK's largest mobile virtual network operator and uses T-Mobile's network. Since its launch in November 1999, Virgin Mobile has attracted more than 4 million customers. Virgin Mobile is part of Virgin Media. The group is the first to be able to offer “quadruple play†to customers: mobile and fixed line telephony, broadband internet and television.
In the UK, Virgin Mobile phones are available direct on 0845 6000 600, on the web at www.virginmobile.co.uk or on the high street at approximately 5,000 outlets including Virgin Mobile Stores within Virgin Megastores and selected WHSmiths, The Carphone Warehouse, The Link, Phones 4 U, Currys.digital, Comet, Tesco, Asda, John Lewis, Argos, Woolworths, Toys R Us, Ryman, web retailer Dial-a-phone plus hundreds of independent mobile phone dealers and available via Shop Direct/Littlewoods, Grattan and Empire home shopping channels.
Virgin Mobile Pay Monthly (contract) is currently available in Virgin Mobile Stores, The Carphone Warehouse, The Link, Phones 4u, at concessions in WHSmith and from www.virginmobile.co.uk. Virgin Mobile employs approximately 1,700 staff at three sites, Trowbridge, London and Daventry, and has an outsourced customer service centre operated by approximately 200 staff in Middlesbrough.
Since 2000, Virgin Mobile has consecutively won the best customer service award at the Mobile Choice Awards and has been voted one of the UK's best 25 workplaces in the Financial Times survey for three years running. 2006 also saw www.virginmobile.co.uk voted “Website of the Year 2006.â€
About InfoSpace Mobile
InfoSpace Mobile is a leading developer of mobile technologies and infrastructure services that help mobile users quickly and easily discover and enjoy content and information on the go. InfoSpace's mobile platform offers carrier partners a customizable, scalable solution for the programming and delivery of mobile content, helping build stronger brands and generate revenue. Mobile users benefit from the best-in-class local search experience of InfoSpace Find It!TM www.infospacefindit.com, and InfoSpace's easy-to-use mobile portal, search, messaging and storefront offerings. The company's mobile products and services are available to over 200 million consumers through mobile operators such as AT&T Mobility, T-Mobile, Verizon Wireless, Sprint Nextel, and Virgin Mobile. For further information please visit www.infospaceinc.com.
Cautionary Note about Forward-Looking Statements
This release contains forward-looking statements regarding the availability of InfoSpace's mobile search technology to Virgin Mobile's users. These forward-looking statements are subject to certain risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from those projected. These statements are not guarantees of future performance and are subject to certain risks, uncertainties and assumptions that are difficult to predict. Factors that could affect InfoSpace's actual results include actual performance under the Virgin Mobile agreement, the progress and costs of deployment of products and services, the scope and timing of user adoption and implementation and market acceptance of the application and features of InfoSpace's mobile search technology. A more detailed description of certain factors that could affect actual results include, but are not limited to, those discussed in InfoSpace's most recent Annual Report on Form 10-K and quarterly reports on Form 10-Q as filed from time to time, in the section entitled “Risk Factors.†Readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements, which speak only as of the date of this release. InfoSpace undertakes no obligation to update publicly any forward-looking statements to reflect new information, events or circumstances after the date of this release or to reflect the occurrence of unanticipated events.
