Let’s Make a Deal….Again

Gee, the deals are coming fast and furious these days!

After not making an acquisition for nearly three years, Nortel made its third acquisition in the past three weeks by picking up DiamondWare for as much as $10-million.

DiamondWare, a 12-person operation based on Mesa, Arizona, develops 3D high-fidelity audio technology, which is used in games, simulators, conferencing, VoIP and Internet-based radio. It customers include DARPA, the U.S. Special Forces, the U.S. Navy, the U.S. Air Force, game developers, carriers and equipment makers.

“A key goal of Nortel has always been to use technology to replicate the richness of a real-world communications experience,” John Roese, Nortel’s CTO said in a press release. “The acquisition of DiamondWare strengthens Nortel’s position in the converging telecommunications and IT landscapes and gives us another building block to create the ultimate communications experience for our customers.”

Under the terms of the agreement, Nortel will buy all of the outstanding shares of DiamondWare. The acquisition costs, including employee retention and transaction costs, were approximately $7 million in cash, plus up to an additional $3 million o DiamondWare security holders based on business milestones over the next 40 months.

For more coverage, check out the Ottawa Citizen, Jon Arnold and Alec Saunders.

Technorati Tags: ,

[Slashdot] [Digg] [Reddit] [del.icio.us] [Facebook] [Technorati] [Google] [StumbleUpon]
This entry was posted in M&A. Bookmark the permalink. Post a comment or leave a trackback: Trackback URL.
  • NewBlue
    "I've used web.alive (and therefore DiamondWare3D) and it delivers on our vision for unified communications and beyond."

    OK, sure...but why buy it? It's not a Nortel core competency. Nortel builds networking gear and web.alive and DiamondWare3D are not networking gear. They are end-user apps. So, while these apps may capitalize on a network based upon a vision, Nortel shouldn't necessarily be buying these end-user apps, should they? Isn't that why they dumped the Contivity Client SW?
  • broadbandbill
    Clarification (post below):

    Meant to say: ‘George, too bad we really didn’t get to know you…”
  • Tony Rybczynski, Nortel
    I've used web.alive (and therefore DiamondWare3D) and it delivers on our vision for unified communications and beyond. Very neat, simple and effective.

    http://blog.tmcnet.com/the-hyperconnected-enter...
  • less
    Diamonds are, like, so forever.
  • broadbandbill
    So, the new strategy is to have John Roese go out on a low-end eBay techno-spree while Riedel is doing what? So long George, it was nice not knowing you…--bb

    PS-- when I suggested ‘Think Small’ I did not imply ‘Think Real Small’; that was Steve Martin’s line...
  • Fins
    Who at Nortel can sell this? And to whom?
    Minor issue.
  • exnt
    Buying technology at the dollar store, and voice technology to boot..how to understand this? What's next, buying a mainframe company for $5M?
  • less
    Diamonds are kewl.
  • Tongue.In.Cheek
    Interesting technology with a demo available on the DiamondWare website at: http://www.dw.com/Demo3DFinal.mp3

    There is some excellent value in this technology across a variety of conferencing applications.
  • less
    http://finance.google.com/finance?client=ob&q=N...

    And lo! another aquisition, another unbelievable spike. Cissyco tanks in response:

    http://finance.google.com/finance?q=csco&hl=en
  • And another thing...
    $833K per employee? Is Nortel partying like it's 1999?
  • Nortelhand
    This is going to boost Nortel's Q3, I bet they only loose 20 cents this coming Q. But that could be downgraded when Mike Z comes out with those "One Time Charges". That is always good for a big drop. I wonder what the new "One Time Charge" will be in Q3. Anyone got any ideas?
  • less
    "create the ultimate communications experience for our customers"

    And employee satisfaction will ultimately fall in right behind, Roese communicated.
  • exnt2
    good to see acquisition moves. this is all they can afford though. looks like a really tiny company with almost no footprint. maybe its the big mouth of John Roese who gets excited like a little kid who wants the fire truck from the store.
blog comments powered by Disqus
  • Subscribe RSSFollow me on TwitterSubscribe on FeedBurner
  • TwitterCounter for @markevans
  • Seeking Alpha Certified