ValueFirst Messaging, an enterprise mobility and communication services company, has acquired Way2Online Interactive that owns way2sms.com and 160by2.com - websites used by millions to send free text messages to any mobile phone in the country.

The websites became prominent when telecoms regulator Trai imposed a rule in September last year that barred users from sending more than 200 text messages a day.

The all-cash deal that industry sources reveal to be close to Rs 200 crore marks the third complete acquisition by the mobile value-added services player since 2009. The deal has been funded through internal accruals and investment from US-based New Enterprise Associates and Headland Asian Ventures Fund (formerly HSBC Private Equity).

With this, the Gurgaon-based company has acquired a customer base of around 37 million unique users, second only to Facebook's 50 million in India.




On a marketing level, the websites will remain as independent brands but since both offer practically same services, the back-end will be integrated on to a single platform within ValueFirst. The integration will require around eight to 11 months, during which Raju Vanapala, the owner of Way2Online Interactive, will exit with his team of 50 people based out of Hyderabad.