Nokia To Acquire Apertio

Most operators still struggle with consolidation of subscriber data as they move to converge fixed, mobile and Internet services. In order to improve management and consolidation of subscriber data, Nokia Siemens Networks will pay approximately $205 million to acquire Apertio, a leading network management company.

Once the deal closes, expected during the first quarter of this year, Apertio will form a new business line within Nokia Siemens' Converged Core business unit led by Apertio CEO Paul Magelli.

Nokia recognizes that Apertio has become a frontrunner with real-time subscriber data applications, thanks to the work it’s done with IMS services. For example, Apertio partnered last year with JacobsRimell, an IP service fulfillment solutions company, to improve its IMS services and the speed with which operators could launch multiparty gaming, television, voice and videoconferencing services.

The combination of JacobsRimell’s APS service fulfillment and management platform with the Apertio One-HSS (home subscriber server) and One-NDS (network directory server) has thus far helped Tier 1s like Orange, T-Mobile, O2, and Vodafone build out sophisticated IP-based services. Nokia had already established partnerships with Apertio, as it integrated Nokia’s home location register (HLR) and HSS products with Apertio’s open platform. The strength of Apertio’s HSS will be particularly important to enhanced services, as the HSS that identifies subscribers, connected devices, services to be provided, and customer preferences tied to those services.

With the acquisition, Nokia will be able to provide a unified view of networks so that operators can manage subscriber data across access devices.

Apertio Ltd. www.apertio.com

Nokia Siemens Networks www.nokiasiemensnetworks.com