Comverse Technology Inc. has signed a definitive agreement to acquire instant messaging software developer Odigo Inc., the two companies announced Monday.
The deal, valued at about $20 million would add Odigos technology to Comverse Technologys Comverse business unit, which supplies multimedia communications software and systems.
Odigo develops instant messaging and presence detection software for wireless carriers and service providers. Comverse was previously a strategic partner of Odigos and held a 12.4 percent interest in the New York company.
“We are now taking this partnership to the next level,” said Comverse CEO Zeev Bregman, in a statement. “The combination of Comverse and Odigo offerings enhances Comverses ability to address the emerging market demands for open instant messaging and communications applications.”
Bregman said the integration of Odigos instant messaging server and presence management engine with Woodbury, N.Y.-based Comverses messaging solutions for voicemail, e-mail, unified messaging and MMS, has already strengthened Comverses products.
“This acquisition is consistent with our commitment to provide an open IP-based platform built upon technologies that allow us to deliver to operators a wide range of intelligent, multimodal communications services,” he said.
Odigo had been a leader of the IMUnified [www.imunified.org] group that was working on standards for instant messaging interoperability. Company officials could not be reached for comment on whether Comverse would continue to be involved in IMUnified.
