IMI acquires 100 pc shareholding in UK's dx3

Hyderabad, Nov 13 (UNI) IMI, the Hyderabad-headquartered global provider of mobile value added services for content providers, mobile operators and media agencies, today announced its acquisition of dx3, the London-based digital content delivery services provider, which pioneered the first legal digital music downloads in Europe.

Already well established in over 40 countries across Asia, Africa, Latin America and the Middle East, IMI's acquisition of dx3 was the first step in an aggressive European expansion plan designed to establish the company as one of the largest managed service providers for digital content and converged value added services in the region, a press release here said.

The acquisition will combine IMI's experience in the mobile sector, where it already enabled 80 operator deployments globally to drive profitable new revenue streams, with dx3's expertise in the web domain. The arrangement will bring the combined services of the enlarged group under the IMI brand and see its carrier-grade DaVinci platform used as part of a managed service offering to power the mobile and online digital marketing initiatives of major brands, publishers and retailers across Europe.

IMI CEO and Founder Vishwanath Alluri said, ''This is the first strategic acquisition in an aggressive European expansion. We see two key growth areas emerging. Firstly, converged media campaigns that use both mobile and online platforms. Secondly, 'off deck', direct to consumer mobile and fixed line operator promotions, working with big name brands with innovative offers and marketing inducements to their subscriber base. We are well positioned to exploit this growth with our innovative technology platforms and considerable experience in driving new revenue streams for our global customers.'' Former dx3 Executive Director Anu Shah, who heads IMI Europe, said, ''The acquisition by IMI gives us fantastic access to a converged online and mobile platform that can glue together growing areas of the market such as digital music, social networking, advertising, user generated content and subscription services. dx3 and IMI believe offering these products under a managed service model offers the best risk or return profile for our clients as evidenced by our growth over the last year. Together, we are now in a great position to design and deploy compelling new products and services on a pan-European basis.'' UNI VA KVV 1555