News
Issue #2003 - 30 (November 2003)
(Updated Nov. 26, 2003)

ACQUISITIONS, MERGERS & AGREEMENTS

Mergers etc. This Week

1. ECUTEL SYSTEMS INC. COMPLETES ACQUISITION OF INCISCENT INC.
Ecutel and Inciscent Join Forces to Form a New Enterprise Software Leader

Herndon, VA, (November , 2003) -- Ecutel Systems Inc., a leading provider of mobile virtual private network (mVPN) software, today announced that it has completed the acquisition of Inciscent Inc., a Falls Church, Va., based enterprise management software company.

Inciscent leads the emerging remote enterprise management market with its IC2 (Infrastructure Command and Control) software suite. IC2 enables IT operations personnel with the ability to securely respond to computer systems and network issues via the web or wireless networks using virtually any handheld device. The business combination with Inciscent will provide Ecutel with additional technical functionality to support the growing demand for its Viatores mobile IP based VPN software. In addition, the new Company will leverage its mutual customer base, vertical market focus and distribution channels to expand market penetration for both of these software lines. 

This acquisition marks a significant transformation for Ecutel Systems, said Jack McDonnell, Ecutel's Chairman of the Board. The individual technology strengths of each of the two companies core product lines will now be combined to add new value to both Viatores and IC2 that will further differentiate these 
leading solutions in the marketplace. 

The emerging market for both, universal access to the enterprise for the growing number of mobile workers, as well as the need for remote management capabilities for enterprise systems infrastructure, is fueling demand for solutions that Ecutel will now provide, said Tom Matthews President and CEO of 
Inciscent.

The merged Company will combine its current management teams with Tom Matthews assuming the role of President and CEO for Ecutel Systems Inc.

About Ecutel
Ecutel is a leading provider of mobile VPN software. Through its next-generation VPN technology, the company is dedicated to providing seamless security and optimized mobility for organizations with mobile professionals inside and outside the office using a variety of wired and wireless networks including wireless LANs and wide-area wireless networks. Ecutel's technology is based on proven security and mobility standards such as IPSec and Mobile IP. 

About Inciscent
Inciscent, Inc., headquartered in Falls Church, Va., is an innovative wired-to-wireless software and solutions provider whose applications provide universal enterprise management capabilities. Inciscent's primary software suite, IC2 (Infrastructure Command and Control) is uniquely designed to work via 
the web on any handheld device, across any network to afford faster response to enterprise systems failures. Inciscent solutions increase productivity, provide competitive advantages and offer the flexibility to manage and communicate from anywhere. 

2. Intel Acquires Mobilian
Intel Corp. has purchased the assets of wireless LAN and Bluetooth chip startup Mobilian in a move that should increase the chipmaker's capabilities to deliver wireless chips for phones and other devices.
Mobilian was working on "TrueRadio" chipsets that combine both short-range Bluetooth (1 Mbit/s over 2.4GHz) and 802.11b (11 Mbit/s over 2.4Ghz) specifications, intended for phones and other battery-powered devices. "They were the first company to deliver an integrated wireless LAN and Bluetooth chipset," notes Francisco.

Intel is buying wireless LAN chipmaker Mobilian Corp. for an undisclosed sum in a deal to strengthen its strategy to offer a variety of chips for phones and other devices. 

The 70-person startup is Intel's latest acquisition in the communications area, several of which have been in the wireless sector. 

The deal has not been officially announced, but Intel confirmed the companies signed a memorandum of understanding Oct. 31. However, it would not say how it intends to use Mobilian's products and technology. 

Mobilian has raised about $70 million since it was founded in 1999. Last year, it started sampling a two-piece chipset dubbed TrueRadio that supports the simultaneous operation of 802.11b wireless-LAN and Bluetooth radios. 

The device will enable the manufacture of a PC Card featuring the two wireless technologies with a bill of materials under $35, the company said. 

In addition to the stakes it has taken in various companies developing or deploying wireless technologies, Intel itself has made a major push in wireless. The company's Centrino processor platform has made huge strides in the notebook-PC market, but the chip only supports the 802.11b wireless LAN standard. Intel is working on chips that support 802.11a and g. 

At its peak, Mobilian employed more than 120 people at locations in San Diego and Hillsboro, Calif., and Yokneam, Israel.

Source: InformationWeek

More: http:// www.ecutel.com http://www.inciscent.com and http://www.mobilian.com

3. Motorola Acquires Xtreme Spectrum for its Ultrawideband
AUSTIN, Texas -- Motorola Inc. has signed an agreement to acquire the assets of XtremeSpectrum, Inc., a pioneer of ultra-wideband (UWB) solutions for multimedia connectivity. XtremeSpectrum's UWB solutions have already been sampled to several leading consumer equipment manufacturers in 2003.
XtremeSpectrum announced it would develop UWB solutions in June 2002, after the Federal Communications Commission approved rules for the commercial use of this wireless technology. The radio is designed to achieve 100 megabits per second data rates while consuming less than 200 milliwatts of power and is designed to provide wireless connectivity technology for products such as set-top boxes, digital displays, camcorders, DVD players, digital video recorders, and digital cameras. XtremeSpectrum's solution is an ultra wideband impulse radio that is designed to simultaneously provide high data rates, low power, low cost and low complexity. The solution has built-in quality of service designed to enable wireless distribution of real-time, high-definition television and other forms of streaming multimedia.

XSI is a fabless semi-conductor company developing ultrawideband technologies for wireless systems.

Xtreme Spectrum’s ultrawideband technology enables next generation in-home networking products and applications for future commercial opportunities in the WLAN and WPAN markets.

MobileInfo Comments and Advisory: Ecutel-Inciscent merger is good - the two companies have synergies. By themselves, they might not make it. Motorola is interested in ultra wideband because there is action out there. Xtreme Networks will provide it with much-needed UWB intellectual property. As far as Intel's acquisition of Mobilian is concerned, Intel has taken a big stake in multi-band chip sets. True-radio chipset combines Bluetooth and Wi-Fi - an important requirement in future bred of handsets.

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