FMC News: IntelliNet Technologies Buys Azaire Networks

Thanks to a newly announced merger, IntelliNet Technologies soon will market a combined controller/security gateway/AAA function to OEMs as it pursues the holy grail of fixed-mobile convergence (FMC).

The Melbourne, Fla., company said on Tuesday it has purchased the assets of Azaire Networks Inc., a one-time IntelliNet customer, for an undisclosed amount.

Azaire specializes in mobility gateways for broadband IP, a mobile security gateway, a AAA server for 3GPP IMS networks and a voice call continuity server for handing off voice calls between fixed and mobile networks. Its products either are installed or on trials in carriers including Orange in France, T-Mobile in Germany, Rogers Wireless in Canada, Mobilkom in Austria, and Chungwha Telecom in Taiwan.

IntelliNet’s FMC Strategy

Now, IntelliNet will add its security controller to Azaire’s capabilities, creating a single FMC chassis for clients such as Alcatel-Lucent. Then, vendors will turn around and sell the product to operators on converged networks, no matter which protocol – CDMA, GSM, etc. – is in place.

“Convergence is real,” said Anjan Ghosal, president and CEO of IntelliNet. “It’s very heavily driven by the end consumer that’s looking for a single source to buy these services from.”

That’s where IntelliNet differs a bit from Azaire. IntelliNet sells to OEMs, while Azaire has targeted operators directly.

“Their model was more carrier-centric, which is a longer sales cycle,” Ghosal said of Azaire. “[Our] cultures match but the business model is likely to change.”

IntelliNet will start integrating Azaire right away and expects activity to ramp up over the next six months. That includes more acquisition announcements, although Ghosal would not go into detail.

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