Telecommunications equipment provider Nokia Siemens Networks agreed Wednesday to acquire U.K.-based subscriber data firm Apertio Ltd. for ¤140 million ($205 million) to extend the range of its product line.
Nokia Siemens Networks is the product of an April 2007 joint venture between Finland's Nokia Oyj, the world's leading cellphone manufacturer, and German conglomerate Siemens AG.
Nokia Siemens Networks said the acquisition will enable customers to simplify their networks and manage subscriber data. According to a study conducted last year by Loudhouse Market Research for Apertio, 76% of network providers view consolidation of customer data as a critical challenge for success in convergence opportunities. Bristol-based Apertio offers open real-time subscriber data platforms and applications for mobile, fixed-line and converged telecom operators.
"The race is on to deliver seamless and highly targeted services to end-users across various access devices, and this requires a unified approach to subscriber data," said Jürgen Walter, head of the converged core unit at Nokia Siemens Networks. "Today's announcement gives Nokia Siemens Networks the opportunity to provide unique value to our customers in this growing area."
The acquisition builds on a partnership in which Nokia Siemens Networks integrated its Home Location Register and Home Subscriber Server products with Apertio's open platform.
Customers of the privately owned Apertio include Orange SA, Deutsche Telekom AG unit T-Mobile and Vodafone Group plc. Apertio, which has 237 employees in Berlin, Chicago, Bangkok, Beijing and Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, expects to generate revenue of about ¤28 million in 2007, according to the Wednesday statement. Last month, Apertio bought Berlin-based Netzwert AG, a privately held telecom software vendor.
The Nokia-Apertio deal is targeted to close in the first quarter. At that point, Apertio CEO Paul Magelli is expected to lead a new business unit within Nokia Siemens Networks' converged core division.
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