Mobile Content Russia

Mobile content giant Zed has paid more than $5 million for a «50 percent plus 1» share in Temafon, a Russian mobile content aggregation service and part of Tema Mobile Media, according to Russian business newspaper Vedomosti, citing two unnamed sources «close to the deal». A Zed spokesperson confirmed the purchase but declined to disclose the financial terms of the acquisition. Temafon is the exclusive aggregator of Russian-based mobile content to Beeline, the carrier brand of VimpelCom, the country's second largest network, which owns an indirect minority share in the aggregator.

The purchase strengthens Zed's position in the Russian mobile content market, where it already owns Infon, a local mobile content provider, through its acquisition of Monstemob.

The Russian mobile content market is expected to reach $1 billion in 2009, with ring back tones and games the fastest growing services. Zed has been busy lately acquiring smaller mobile content aggregators and providers, part of its strategy to build up closer ties to carriers. In early May, it acquired UK mobile games aggregator and distributor Player X.