Ericsson buys Optimi for better network management

L.M. Ericsson (ERIC) said it purchased OSS/BSS company Optimi Corp. for an undisclosed sum. Ericsson said the acquisition, including 200 Optimi employees, will strengthen Ericsson’s network modernization skills in the multi-vendor, multi-technology network management and optimization sector.
“This is to reinforce and consolidate Ericsson’s leadership position in multi-technology, multi-vendor, Self-Organizing Networks (SONs) and OSS-based network optimization. Furthermore it improves the company’s global capabilities to deliver value-added optimization services,” Ericsson said in a prepared statement.
Ericsson is the world’s largest telecom equipment manufacturer. More and more, traditional infrastructure providers are adding software functions to their portfolio of products and services. Specifically, Ericsson said network optimization is increasingly important as service providers try to manage 2G, 3G and 4G networks.
“The Optimi portfolio complements our existing OSS portfolio, which today is largely deployed among networks managed by Ericsson,” said Magnus Mandersson, Senior VP and Head of Business Unit Global Services, Ericsson. “Network optimization is already a core business for Ericsson. Today’s acquisition is further proof of our commitment to support our customers in the transformation currently taking place within the telecommunications industry. Over the years, we have invested in processes, methods and tools, so it is in our DNA.” Optimi’s services and products are used by more than 50 leading operators across five continents, Ericsson noted.