Yahoo said Tuesday it has a partnership with T-Mobile to be the exclusive Internet service provider for the mobile network operator's European users.

Yahoo said Tuesday it has a partnership with T-Mobile to be the exclusive Internet service provider for the mobile network operator's European users.

The announcement comes as Yahoo asserts its independence and commitment to improving profitability in the face of a bid by US software colossus Microsoft to take over the veteran California Internet firm.

On Monday, Yahoo's board of directors rejected a 44.6-billion-dollar buy-out offer from Microsoft, saying it "significantly undervalues" the company.

Microsoft says it intends to pursue its bid for Yahoo, and analysts are watching to see whether Microsoft will raise its bid or attempt a "hostile takeover" by trying to rout Yahoo's board of directors this summer.

Meanwhile, Yahoo announced Tuesday it has bought online video platform specialty firm Maven Networks for 160 million dollars and made a "strategic partnership" with German-based T-Mobile.

Yahoo's oneSearch tailored to mobile devices will become the exclusive Internet-browsing service for T-Mobile customers in its ""European footprint" as of the end of March, according to the companies.

"T-Mobile's decision to work with Yahoo is a clear demonstration of the strength of our industry-leading mobile search service and our ability to work with partners to give consumers the best possible mobile Internet experience," said Yahoo Connected Life vice president Marco Boerries.

"Soon we will bring this compelling experience to T-Mobile's millions of consumers across Europe."

Yahoo unveiled its revamped oneSearch mobile Internet platform a year ago and the firm's chief executive Jerry Yang showed off improvements at the Consumer Electronics Show last month in Las Vegas.

OneSearch is crafted to efficiently deliver relevant Internet search results to mobile devices.

"With Yahoo, we combine our joint innovation power to bring the mobile Internet even closer to our customers," said T-Mobile products and innovation officer Christopher Schlaffer.

Schlaffer called oneSearch "the best search product on the market."

Yahoo's online messaging, weather, finance, and picture-sharing services are also being tailored for T-Mobile users, according to the companies.

Yahoo also said it has bought Maven, a US start-up specializing in online video publishing, syndication and, most importantly, advertising. The start-up bills itself as being "synonymous with Internet television."

Yahoo says it bought Maven to improve content and advertising in online video services provided by the Sunnyvale, California, firm.

© 2008 AFP