Q3 2008 Communications (Infrastructure) Transactions
BEKO Holding AG acquires Brain Force Holding AG
BEKO Holding AG, an Austria-based holding company with interests in independent companies in the engineering and information technology (IT) sectors, has acquired a 53% stake in Brain Force Holding AG. Brain Force Holding AG is an Austria-based provider of information technology (IT) solutions. The Company offers infrastructure solutions for IT management and optimization of telecommunication networks; IT support for business processes; industry-specific applications for financial services providers and production companies, and outsourcing, which comprises systems, such as user helpdesk and application management. With this acquisition, BEKO will have a strong network of Engineering and Informatik services.
Announcement Date: September 30, 2008
Deal Value: Undisclosed
Nokia to acquire OZ Communications
Nokia is acquiring OZ, a privately-held company with approximately 220 employees and headquartered in Montreal, Canada. OZ is a consumer mobile messaging solution provider that delivers access to popular instant messaging and email services on consumer mobile devices. With OZ, Nokia is renewing its mission of “Connecting People” by enabling consumers to easily connect and communicate using their favorite Internet communities. OZ's team and technology will help Nokia to address the fast growing consumer messaging market by enabling easy-to-use, fast access to leading instant messaging and email services, including AOL, Gmail, ICQ, Windows Live Hotmail, Windows Live Messenger and Yahoo!. With more than 5.5 million monthly paid users, OZ's solutions have been deployed by leading mobile operators on a wide array of mobile device platforms.
Announcement Date: September 30, 2008
Deal Value: Undisclosed
Ascom acquires Comarco Wireless Test Business
Lake Forest-based Comarco announced that it has agreed to sell its wireless test solutions business to Ascom Holdings AG. Comarco said the sale is part of its strategy to focus its business on its mobile power solutions and the divestiture should "dramatically" reduce its operating costs. Comarco's wireless test business provides wireless network testing for mobile service providers; its customers include Verizon, AT&T, and Rogers Canada. Ascom and Comarco have been working together on mobile test products since 2006.
Announcement Date: September 29, 2008
Deal Value: $12.75 Million (Cash)
VanceInfo acquires Wireless Info Tech
Wireless Info Tech Ltd., a provider of mobile testing and application development services for the wireless industry, has been acquired by VanceInfo Technologies (China). VanceInfo is an IT services provider providing offshore software development in China. VanceInfo said that Wireless Info Tech had sales of approximately $3 million for the eight months ending August 31.
Announcement Date: September 30, 2008
Deal Value: $1.08 Million (Cash and stock)
Integrated Broadband acquiring Parasun Technologies
Integrated Broadband Services, a provider of triple play software and services to broadband network operators, is acquiring Parasun Technologies Inc. from Uniserve Communications Corp. The company will have a combined customer base of over 200 network operators serving over 750,000 end-subscribers across North America, Latin America and the Caribbean. IBBS and Parasun both operate under a SaaS recurring revenue business model. Founded in 2001, IBBS was recently ranked by Inc. magazine as 46th among the 100 fastest-growing private telecommunication companies in America with a 236 percent revenue growth rate over three years.
Announcement Date: September 17, 2008
Deal Value: Undisclosed
Dialogic Corporation to acquire NMS Communications Platforms Business
Dialogic Corporation (Canada) is acquiring NMS Communications Corporation’s Communications Platforms business, which provides enabling technology and tools for value-added services in mobile telecommunications. The NMS Communications Platforms business features the Open Access family of boards and APIs including PacketMedia Host Media Processing, and the AG series, TX series, CG series, and MG series as well as the Vision family of servers and gateways. The mobile value-added service market segment is a critical growth area for Dialogic and, as such, NMS’s products and employees will be an important asset going forward. The inclusion of video as an increasingly important element of a typical mobile phone call is an important investment area for Dialogic. Combining the Dialogic video technology with the NMS Vision product line will enable a quicker time to market and a more complete product offering than either company could have provided on its own.
Announcement Date: September 12, 2008
Deal Value: $28 Million (Cash)
Zed acquires Mobitween
Zed (Spain), a mobile content company and mobile value-added services (MVAS), acquired Mobitween, a developer and publisher of Flash-based content for mobile and online worlds. Mobitween has established distribution agreements with major U.S. and European mobile operators, including Verizon Wireless and Orange Group, among others, building Flash Lite mobile gaming portals that replicate the web browsing model, enabling players to play, rate, share and post high scores through a rich-media and customizable mobile client. Mobitween brings to Zed an impressive expertise in Adobe Flash technology for mobile phones, an extensive product portfolio with more than 100 in-house titles, the first "game 2.0" concept offering, and important agreements with key carriers in Europe and the U.S. This acquisition signals a very important milestone for Zed’s games strategy worldwide since Zed is committed to consolidate a global leadership position as developer, publisher and retailer of multi-platform games.
Announcement Date: September 8, 2008
Deal Value: Undisclosed
OCTuS to buy Nova
OCTuS, Inc. will acquire Nova Mobility Systems Inc., a leader in mobile computing and rugged computer systems. The combined entity is expected to release proprietary UMPC (Ultra-Mobile PC), Tablet and MID (Mobile Internet Device) products in 2009, combining extensive industry and product experience with next generation, ultra low power chipset designs and components.
Announcement Date: September 4, 2008
Deal Value: Undisclosed
net mobile AG buys Minick Holding
Swisscom signed the contract for the sale of its subsidiary, Minick Holding Ltd, to the German firm, net mobile AG. Founded in 1994, Minick Holdings develops and operates mobile services platforms for network operators, media companies, business customers and agencies. net mobile, one of the leading international full service providers for mobile and interactive value-added services, will take all of the almost 60 employees from Minick and intends to run the business as an independent company. The move will allow both companies to achieve the necessary scale to keep pace in a consolidating market and create the best possible conditions for long-term development.
Announcement Date: September 1, 2008
Deal Value: Undisclosed
BroadSoft acquires GENBAND VoIP Server Platform
BroadSoft, a publisher of voice-over-Internet protocol applications for the telecommunications industry, has acquired GENBAND’s VoIP-related software line. The deal includes GENBAND's M6 Communication Applications Server product line and customer base. BroadSoft said the purchase will allow it to strengthen its position in the VoIP applications market while simultaneously permitting GENBAND to focus on its IP gateway business. Broadsoft added that the transaction marks the beginning of a long-term partnership between the companies, which have agreed to cooperate on future projects.
Announcement Date: August 28, 2008
Deal Value: Undisclosed
Wind River to acquire MIZI Research
Wind River, the provider of Device Software Optimization (DSO), is acquiring MIZI Research, Inc., a privately-held company based in Seoul, Korea, that focuses on the development of mobile application platforms based on embedded Linux. Founded in 1999, MIZI currently has 65 employees and is one of the earliest Linux pioneers in the mobile market. With this acquisition, Wind River expects to gain access to world-class mobile expertise that can be leveraged across its various mobile alliances as well as accelerate its mobile services presence in Asia Pacific. Wind River is targeting a number of vertical markets as Linux growth opportunities, including automotive infotainment, mobile handsets and mobile internet devices.
Announcement Date: August 28, 2008
Deal Value: $16 Million (Cash)
Useful Networks acquires KnowledgeWhere
Useful Networks, enablers of compelling location-based services for mobile phones, acquired Canada-based KnowledgeWhere, a premier provider of location-aware mobile games, location-based advertising and developer-enablement programs. KnowledgeWhere is best known for developing award-winning platform technology to power location-based mobile entertainment products, such as games, social networking and lifestyle applications. Useful Networks is an international enabler of LBS applications like sniff (social network integrated friend finder), a permission-based application that lets consumers locate their friends in real-time, anytime and anywhere with their mobile phone or from social networks such as Facebook. KnowledgeWhere’s access to great technology and their long tenure in location-aware advertising and gaming complement Useful’s portfolio of services nicely.
Announcement Date: August 13, 2008
Deal Value: Undisclosed
Apisphere acquires Navit Innovations
Apisphere Inc., a provider of location-awareness services for mobile business applications, is acquiring Navit Innovations, a developer of location-based technologies and solutions for business and consumer markets. The acquisition will enable Apisphere to leverage Navit’s extensive Global Positioning System technology and industry experience to enhance the scope and reach of the location-aware mobility solutions it is offering its customers. Through this acquisition, Apisphere will add valuable RF engineering, embedded application development, navigation software engineering, and hardware development capabilities to its team. Navit’s GPS product and hardware development expertise will enable Apisphere to expand its addressable market by providing an end-to-end solution that includes location-based services (LBS) development support for cellular handset manufacturers.
Announcement Date: August 12, 2008
Deal Value: Undisclosed
GTRI acquires Anyware Network Solutions
Global Technology Resources, Inc., a provider of technology consulting services, is augmenting its wireless networking offerings with the strategic acquisition of Anyware Network Solutions, Inc., the leading provider of wireless networking integration services in the Rocky Mountain Region. Anyware Network Solutions has been focused exclusively on architecting wireless LAN/WAN and wireless broadband solutions since its inception. GTRI will leverage this expertise to strengthen its existing wireless networking business and expand its current enterprise and commercial customers across the country. The acquisition will also allow GTRI to deliver tailored wireless network solutions by using a consultative approach. The enhanced services include network design, project management, RF engineering, configuration, installation, training, maintenance and support. GRTI has been on a steady growth path, reporting revenues of $42 million in 2005 and just over $141 million two years later.
Announcement Date: August 11, 2008
Deal Value: Undisclosed
HP to acquire Colubris Networks
HP is acquiring Colubris Networks Inc., a privately-held global provider of intelligent wireless networks for enterprises and service providers. The award-winning Colubris Networks Intelligent Mobility Solution delivers wireless integrated access, management and security products as well as 802.11n capability – all of which help enterprises and service providers broaden the reach and impact of voice, data and multimedia applications. HP plans to integrate Colubris’ extensive product line into its ProCurve Networking product portfolio. This will expand HP ProCurve’s reach into vertical markets such as hospitality, transportation, healthcare, manufacturing, service provider and education.
Announcement Date: August 11, 2008
Deal Value: Undisclosed
Single Touch Systems acquired Single Touch Interactive
Single Touch Systems Inc acquired Single Touch Interactive Inc, a developer of customized software solutions. Single Touch Interactive is an innovator in mobile commerce solutions and award-winning developer of Abbreviated Dial Codes (ADC). Through Single Touch's ADC platform, mobile consumers are able to dial short branded phone numbers, Abbreviated Dial Codes, and then interact with a brand and easily complete transactions by simply pressing their mobile phone keypad. Single Touch Systems ties web, retail and wireless seamlessly together through its Abbreviated Dial Code platform. Single Touch contract partners and ADC customers include some of the largest consumer brands and retailers in the world. Single Touch helps content providers extend their reach beyond the television and PC screens, and create new mobile distribution channels for their branded content. Consumer goods manufacturers and service providers are using ADCs for targeted and relevant advertising campaigns, and innovative customer service applications that provide tangible benefits to their customers. Major retailers and online companies are working with Single Touch on mobile couponing and ways to link e-commerce to mobile devices.
Announcement Date: August 11, 2008
Deal Value: Undisclosed
Aspiro acquires Mobile Entry
Aspiro (Sweden) has acquired the remaining shares in the Norwegian company Mobile Entry. The acquisition is part of Aspiro’s strategy to strengthen its operations within the Business Solutions area. Mobile Entry develops technology, solutions and concepts for mobile interactivity and marketing. In September 2007, Aspiro acquired 25.5 percent of the stocks in Mobile Entry AS. Aspiro has now chosen to acquire the remaining 74.5 percent of the stocks in the company. The acquisition of Mobile Entry is part of Aspiro’s strategy for the Business Solutions area and mobile platforms for the corporate market. Mobile Entry has satisfied customers and, in addition, a platform that places Aspiro in the leading position for the technological development in the area.
Announcement Date: August 7, 2008
Deal Value: Undisclosed
ROK Mobile International acquires MeshLinx Wireless
ROK Mobile Intl, a UK-based telecoms service provider, has purchased a 51 percent interest in MeshLinx Wireless Inc., a U.S.-based global network provider of Wi-Max and Wi-Fi network solutions. The acquisition provides ROK Mobile the ability to expand its reach to all consumers using wireless. MeshLinx brings a new wireless technology based on SDR (Software Defined Radios, or "Software Configurable Radios"), specializing in providing a fully integrated wireless technology to deliver networks of any size, anywhere in the world. This highly advanced new technology is based on an Access Point that can deliver over 60Mbps net throughput with seamless mobility. This makes it the best solution for networks that need last-mile Internet access, VoIP, public safety communications, and video surveillance. Networks of tomorrow will require more and more bandwidth, and wireless networks will need to deliver fiber-like speeds to meet the demand of governments, consumers and businesses. MeshLinx brings a RF agnostic technology that provides the most cost effective, highest bandwidth wireless networks in the world capable of advanced scalable security and quality of service.
Announcement Date: August 4, 2008
Deal Value: Undisclosed
Purple Labs to acquire mobile software from Sagem Mobiles
Purple Labs SA, a unit of Texas Instruments Inc.'s Texas Instruments Berlin AG subsidiary, will acquire the mobile applications suite and software engineering business of Sagem Mobiles, a developer of communication software.
Announcement Date: July 31, 2008
Deal Value: Undisclosed
BT acquires Ribbit
BT has bought Ribbit, an internet-phone software developer. Ribbit's technology enables users to merge mobile calls with the internet and convert voicemail into text. The company allows any developers to use its technology to create applications. They have already used it to build voice applications that run directly from Facebook or iGoogle. With Ribbit, not only does BT extend its presence in the Silicon Valley, but it also gains a groundbreaking platform, a growing community of developers and a world-class team. By adding Ribbit's capability to the power of BT's global 21CN platform, BT will now be able to give the development community the tools they need to innovate on a global scale.
Announcement Date: July 29, 2008
Deal Value: $105 Million (Cash)
Actel acquires Pigeon Point Systems
Actel Corporation has acquired Pigeon Point Systems, a privately-held supplier of telecommunications computing architecture management components. By acquiring the leading provider of TCA management components, Actel now offers a comprehensive solution for proprietary and standards-based system management implementations in the industrial, military, telecommunications, and medical markets. Earlier this year, Actel and Pigeon Point announced a partnership to develop and market solutions based on the Actel Fusion mixed-signal FPGAs to speed the design of AdvancedTCA blade and AdvancedMC carrier blade management controllers. The two companies' combined portfolio of reference designs, development kits, easy-to-use development environments and expert design services gives designers the capability to address system and power management issues throughout the design process.
Announcement Date: July 29, 2008
Deal Value: Undisclosed
Kelyniam to acquire Bimen Business Consultants
Kelyniam Global, Inc., a company specializing in CADCAM technology, will acquire Bimen Business Consultants, a provider of technology solutions including hardware, data warehousing, web hosting to full application development and internet telephony and VOIP.
Announcement Date: July 28, 2008
Deal Value: Undisclosed
Digi acquires Spectrum Design Solutions
Digi International Inc. acquired Spectrum Design Solutions Inc., a privately-held corporation and a leading wireless design services organization. Spectrum Design Solutions Inc. is a design services company with a focus on solving customers’ wireless development challenges. Employing over 30 highly specialized engineers with extensive experience in wireless technologies such as GSM, CDMA, GPS, WiMAX, Wi-Fi and proprietary RF allows the organization to address virtually any wireless development need. Wireless design services are another piece of the puzzle Digi is adding to its wireless Drop-in Networking product offering. Digi anticipates that Spectrum will contribute approximately $0.6 million in revenue for the fourth fiscal quarter of 2008, from date of acquisition, and in a range of approximately $5.0 to $5.5 million in revenue for fiscal year 2009.
Announcement Date: July 23, 2008
Deal Value: $10 Million (Cash; $6 million of the total to be paid in installments)
MicroTech acquires Visual Communications Division of SIGCOM
MicroTechnologies, LLC, an information technology, network support, communications and systems engineering firm, agreed to purchase the assets of SIGCOM's Visual Communications Technology Division. SIGCOM has been a pioneer and leader in visual communications, video teleconferencing services, audio visual integration, Internet Protocol (IP) network services, streaming video solutions and many other types of communications technical services and solutions for over 20 years. With this acquisition, MicroTech will provide managed solutions for the most demanding conferencing and collaboration technology supporting mission-critical requirements throughout the Department of Defense, other federal agencies and commercial clients.
Announcement Date: July 23, 2008
Deal Value: Undisclosed
Ariston Global to acquire ACE*COMM
Ariston Global is acquiring ACE*COMM Corporation, a global provider of advanced operations support systems (OSS) and service delivery solutions for telecommunications service providers and enterprises. When you add ACE*COMM’s capabilities to those of Ariston Global, the combined companies will be able to better serve customers through a broader product offering and a deeper employee base. The addition of ACE*COMM into the Ariston Global portfolio immediately extends its market footprint, and will enable it to gain scale, product breadth, and skilled employees. Ariston Global is a portfolio company of the private equity firm, Spire Capital Partners.
Announcement Date: July 14, 2008
Deal Value: Undisclosed
TranSwitch to acquire Centillium Communications
TranSwitch Corporation announced that it is acquiring Centillium Communications, Inc. Centillium delivers highly innovative communications processing technology for global systems vendors targeting service provider, enterprise and consumer markets. With this acquisition, TranSwitch, a leading provider of carrier-class semiconductor solutions for EoS (Ethernet over SONET/SDH), Broadband Access and Carrier Ethernet applications, TranSwitch will further diversify its product portfolio to include rapidly growing Fiber-to-the-Home (FTTH) and Voice-over-Internet-Protocol (VoIP) solutions.
Announcement Date: July 9, 2008
Deal Value: $42 Million
Sangoma Technologies Corp to acquire Paraxip
Sangoma Technologies Corp (Canada) agreed to acquire Paraxip Technologies Inc, a developer of IP connectivity software that empowers the deployment of IP Telephony applications. Founded in 2003, Paraxip’s customers include IBM, Genesys (a subsidiary of Alcatel-Lucent), First Data Corporation and the State of California. The integration of Paraxip’s SIP based NetBorder suite into Sangoma’s product line provides Sangoma with a growth path that includes the Unified Communications market, IP contact centers, commercial interactive voice response solutions and other SIP-based telephony markets. The combined products and channels of the two companies considerably extend Sangoma’s current addressable market range by providing support for all software-based telephony applications.
Announcement Date: July 9, 2008
Deal Value: $4.6 Million (Cash and stock)
Fonix to acquire Shanghai Gaozhi Software Systems
Fonix Corporation is acquiring 80% of Shanghai Gaozhi Software Systems Limited (GaozhiSoft), a software developer and solutions provider in 2G and 3G mobile networks in China and throughout the Asian Pacific region. The remaining 20% will be acquired by funds managed by Southridge, LLC. Fonix expects incremental revenue increases once its speech technology is sold in China, which will be facilitated through GaozhiSoft. Customers of GaozhiSoft include the primary China mobile network service providers -- China Mobile, China Unicom, China Telecom, China Netcom and China Digital. In addition, GaozhiSoft is the exclusive Chinese provider to Alcatel-Lucent. GaozhiSoft provides these customers with its proprietary software solutions. During the second quarter of 2008, China Mobile and China Unicom launched 3G mobile service in China using GaozhiSoft OSS technology. GaozhiSoft provides Fonix with a solid operating platform in the dynamically growing China and Asian Pacific mobile, wireless and video markets.
Announcement Date: July 1, 2008
Deal Value: Undisclosed