IBM to acquire Vallent

Deal to help customers manage networks

IBM is to acquire US firm Vallent Corporation, supplier of network performance monitoring and service management software for wireless service providers worldwide.

Vallent is a privately held US company with more than 400 employees. The acquisition is anticipated to close in the first quarter of 2007. Financial terms have not been disclosed.

The combination of Vallent’s software and IBM’s comprehensive management capabilities will enable service providers to deliver and manage end-to-end high quality services across wireline, wireless, IP and converged fixed/mobile network infrastructures, says IBM.

‘Today’s service provider landscape is changing dramatically,’ said Al Zollar, general manager, IBM Tivoli software.

‘Mergers, partnerships, and technology are making fixed-mobile convergence a reality. To compete, operators must manage the customer experience across large, heterogeneous, and complex service delivery infrastructures,’ said Zollar.

‘The combination of Vallent and Netcool software will offer service providers an unparalleled set of network and service management tools with insight spanning from the IP core all the way to service quality as perceived by the end user,’ he said.

Vallent has more than 200 customers worldwide including KPN, Bharti, China Mobile, and Brasil Telecom as well as equipment providers such as Lucent, Motorola and Alcatel.

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