Metaswitch Acquires Service Broker Technology Provider AppTrigger

By Jayashree Adkoli

TMCnet Contributor

 

Metaswitch Networks, a provider of carrier systems and communications software solutions, announced that it has acquired service broker solutions provider, AppTrigger, Inc., by signing a definitive agreement, in order to enter the Service Broker market.

 

Under the terms of the agreement, the AppTrigger Ignite platform will be added to Metaswitch’s product line-up, in order to facilitate the company to offer standalone Service Broker solutions. In addition, this acquisition also helps in accelerating the adoption of Metaswitch’s switching and applications product lines in fixed-line and wireless networks in multiple geographical markets.

 

Generally, a Service Broker is a purpose-built, reusable software network element that is utilized to orchestrate and interwork services in multi-vendor, multi-technology networks. With this feature, a Service Broker can efficiently manage service interaction and service composition. Generally, it resides between the service layer and the converging network.

 

Carriers prefer Service Brokers, because it considerably reduces the cost of service deployment – by allowing established applications to be offered across new networks and at the same time brings new services to legacy customers, say officials with Metaswitch in a press release.

 

Added to this, when Service Broker is combined with Metaswitch’s VoIP/IMS infrastructure portfolio, a comprehensive set of solutions is created that help in seamless migration of networks, services and subscribers to IP.

 

According to AppTrigger, it has established itself in the Service Broker market by offering its Ignite platform. Its Service Broker offers a purpose built unique combination of media, signaling, call control, and a family of APIs for multi-network, converged application deployments. The Ignite platform can be rapidly deployed in multiple tier one networks worldwide and supports for a range of 17 pre-defined application interworking solutions from non-geographical number and local number portability to wireless prepaid and network IVR.

 

The carrier solutions from Metaswitch includes session control, application/feature servers and media and signaling gateway elements, which support a range of network architectures from legacy/TDM to NGN and full IMS.

 

According to Joe McGarvey, principal analyst of Current Analysis (News - Alert), the addition of Service Broker technology to Metaswitch’s existing product portfolio helps in strengthening Metaswitch’s position as a market leader in IP transformation by offering a broader set of solutions and services that facilitate service providers to leverage their resource infrastructure and achieve CAPEX savings.

 

“Carriers are increasingly realizing that service brokers are key to their ability to safely and cost-effectively evolve their business models to IP,” said Kevin DeNuccio (News - Alert), CEO of Metaswitch. “AppTrigger has played an instrumental role in defining this market, delivering the most robust, feature rich solution, and demonstrating its ability to scale with deployments processing billions of calls per month. This technology not only expands the set of solutions we can deliver to our customers, but supports our global growth strategy particularly in the rapidly-evolving mobile application space.”

 

The closure of this acquisition is subject to standard contractual conditions and is expected by the end of the month, according to the press release.