STOCKHOLM, Sweden, Nov. 20, 2002 (PRIMEZONE) -- Aspiro's (Stockholm:ASP) focusing process continues. The SMS Network business area is not a part of Aspiro's core business and has therefore been sold to Swedish-British mBlox. All of Aspiro's SMS-customers will be transferred to mBlox with immediate action. Aspiro will be compensated according to a revenue-share model running for 24 months. Hence, Aspiro will from now on make profit from the SMS traffic without being affected by the fluctuating costs for this business area.
The SMS Network business area manages SMS traffic via a two-way network. SMS traffic is a volume product, whereby Aspiro buys traffic in mobile networks and offers their customers mediation of SMS messages worldwide. The customers are mainly Internet portals and companies wishing to send SMS traffic from their portals or applications to mobile phones. Aspiro SMS Network have some 40 customers.
The costs for purchasing network traffic fluctuates largely over time and are difficult to forecast. Aspiro has therefore, in spite of large volumes, not managed to reach profitability within this business area. During 2001, net sales amounted to SEK 22 million with a deficit of SEK 12 million for the business area. During the first three quarters of 2002, net sales amounted to SEK 21 million with a deficit of SEK 7 million.
"Since SMS Network is not Aspiro's core business, we cannot allocate enough resources to develop an infrastructure for full control of this volatile market," said Hakan Persson, CEO of Aspiro, "and because of that, I see small possibilities for this business area to ever generate any profit of size."
mBlox, who is specialized in the SMS traffic business area, has taken over Aspiro's 40 SMS customers according to a revenue share model. Hence, Aspiro will gain from the sales of SMS traffic without taking the risk of fluctuating traffic costs. The cooperation between Aspiro and mBlox will run for 24 months.
"Now I look forward to entirely focusing Aspiro's activities within our core competence, that is development and distribution of mobile services and applications," said Hakan Persson.
For more information:
Hakan Persson, CEO Aspiro ph: +46 (0)708 368130 e-mail: hakan.persson@aspiro.com Oscar Werner, CEO mBlox Northern Europe ph: +46 (0)8 456 35 72 e-mail: oscar.werner@mblox.com Helena Gynnerstedt, Head of Information Aspiro ph: +46 (0)709 91 80 18 e-mail: Helena.gynnerstedt@aspiro.com
About Aspiro
Aspiro offers mobile telecom operators, portals, companies and organizations a wide range of attractive services designed to meet the consumer's needs for information, entertainment and communication via mobile media. Today Aspiro has a customer base of more than 30 operators and portals in Europe and North America.
Founded in 1998, Aspiro is today an important international player in the mobile services market. Aspiro's business concept, organization and operations are based on many years of experience gained in the mobile telecommunications and IT sectors. Aspiro is stock quoted on Stockholmsborsen's O-list. For more information, please visit our homepage www.aspiro.com
About mBlox
mBlox is one of Europe's leading providers of two-way European SMS transmission services to the applications industry. mBlox provides the quality, performance and reach necessary to meet the needs of service providers in the entertainment, marketing and communications industry. Founded in 1999 by experienced managers from the mobile and fixed telecoms industries, mBlox is based in London and Stockholm.
MBlox already own and operate a high-performance system for receiving SMS from handsets. It also provides Premium-Rate SMS services in several countries. More info at www.mblox.com
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