Infospace to go D2C in Europe within a year

Content giant  Infospace will launch its Moviso direct-to-consumer service in Europe within the next 12 months.

Infospace relaunched its Moviso brand as a web destination in the US earlier this week. The site sells a wide range of ringtones, wallpapers and games from a variety of providers.  Products are charged via premium SMS and available through Cingular, Sprint Nextel and T-Mobile.

Jon Nolz, senior director of marketing for Moviso, told ME: "The US market is ready for this now. We'll start by targeting the existing consumers of content, but we know there's a huge base out there waiting to be developed."

It's the company's first stab at selling direct to consumers after years of cultivating relationships with operators. Moviso was a ringtone pioneer that was acquired by Infospace in 2003. Its content portfolio was used by Infospace to power its drive into the mobile entertainment sector. Now, it's being resurrected as a consumer brand not just in the US but all over the world.