Verisign continues to streamline operations: Dumps part of Euro mobile messaging biz

VeriSign Inc. continued to streamline its business by jettisoning part of its European mobile messaging division.
The Mountain View, Calif.-based company had established a mobile foothold in Europe with the 2006 acquisition of Austria’s 3united Mobile Solutions AG for $65.5 million. But VeriSign said it has sold the business to Sinon Invest Holding GmbH – a fellow Austrian outfit – for an undisclosed sum.
The business, which claims 100 employees, will be rebranded mms GmbH and will continue to develop and market premium SMS, m-commerce and mobile content products and services.
VeriSign left the mobile content space last fall, unloading its 49% stake in Jamba to News Corp. for $200 million following a 2007 announcement that it would close or sell as many as a dozen divisions.
The company aims to bulk up its core digital security business, however, with last month’s announcement of plans to acquire Certicom Inc.