re: tny-edeagle
This morning's Communications Day story:
------------------------------------------------------ Tennyson completes Ericsson purchase, eyes platform sale ------------------------------------------------------ Perth-based technology company Tennyson Networks has clinched the purchase of the data services division of Ericsson Communications, revealing that it may also sell its proprietary voice and data platform after being approached by a number of interested parties.
The company revealed in January that it intended to buy the Ericsson unit, which is based in New Zealand and designs, markets and supports a range of high-speed broadband Internet products. Tennyson bought the business with a clear intention to build a customer base in Australia, Europe, New Zealand, and Asia.
”Tennyson believes the company’s future lies with the development of its new Data Services business,’’ the company said in a statement. ”Over the past three years, the business has generated sales of more than $100 million and the acquisition will give Tennyson a vigorous new revenue stream.’’
The company said it has closed its $1.4 million purchase of the data services unit, which supplies DSL modems and network access control hardware to carriers such as its largest customer, Poland’s national telecommunications company TP SA.
The company added that it is now focusing on its DSL business as the main line of operation and could offload its Smart Office eXchange (SOX) unit to another company.
The SOX business has close to 600 customers and provides a converged voice and data platform to enterprises.
According to Tennyson chief executive Rick Pullia, the SOX business offers a virtual phone solution that is the only Microsoft-accredited desktop telephony offering available on the Australian market. That could be of interest to other carriers and service providers, he said.
”We have changed direction and a number of parties have approached us with an intention to acquire the SOX business so we are investigating that,’’ Pullia told Communications Day.
As for the purchase of the Ericsson business, he said there was now a big opportunity to sell IDSL services to carriers trying to build up customers in regional and rural areas because the technology can extend over larger distances. The technology can even work over poor quality copper lines, he said.
Pullia added that Tennyson would soon start offering commercial IDSL and SHDSL services in Australia and New Zealand. He would not, however, disclose the timing, due to competitive reasons.
The Ericsson data services business currently employs around 25 people and those numbers are expected to increase as it signs up customers in Australia. Duncan Craig ------------------------------------------------------
