Acision
| Company type | Private |
|---|---|
| Industry | Mobile communications network infrastructure |
| Predecessor | LogicaCMG Wireless Networks |
| Founded | February 20, 2007 |
| Defunct | 2015 |
| Fate | Acquired by Comverse, Inc. |
| Headquarters | United Kingdom |
Area served | Worldwide |
Key people | Laurence Quinn (Executive Chairman) |
| Products | Messaging and billing solutions including SMS, MMS, mobile web access, broadband connectivity, voicemail, IP-based messaging |
Number of employees | 1500 (2008) |
Acision was a privately owned British company specializing in mobile communications network infrastructure. It delivered messaging and billing solutions that supported various services, including Short Message Service (SMS), Multimedia Messaging Service (MMS), mobile web access, broadband connectivity, and voicemail. The firm focused particularly on IP-based messaging tailored for over-the-top media services and corporate clients.
The company was created in 2007 as a spin-off from the wireless networks division of LogicaCMG, maintaining its independence until its acquisition by Comverse, Inc. in 2015.
Background
Acision’s roots trace back to two predecessor organizations:
- The Wireless Data Services unit of the Anglo-Dutch consultancy CMG, credited with developing the first SMSC in 1992 and establishing the UCP/EMI protocol for SMSC connectivity.
- The Irish mobile communications pioneer Aldiscon, which introduced the commercially deployed Telepath SMSC and played a key role in standardizing the SMPP protocol in 1993.
Aldiscon’s early implementations included deployments for TeliaSonera in Sweden, as well as operators like Fleet Call (now Nextel) in the United States, Telenor in Norway, and BT Cellnet (currently O2 UK) during 1993. In 1997, Aldiscon was acquired by UK-based Logica, which subsequently merged with CMG in 2002 to form LogicaCMG, integrating their wireless network operations.
History
Acision was formed on 20 February 2007 following the sale of LogicaCMG Wireless Networks for £265 million (approximately US$525 million) to private equity investors including Atlantic Bridge Ventures led by Brian Long and Access Industries under Len Blavatnik. At that time, The Times characterized Acision as "the world's largest provider of software, hardware, and integration services behind SMS text messages." Laurence Quinn, one of Aldiscon’s founders, took on the role of executive chairman.
By 2008, Acision supported more than 300 mobile network operators worldwide and reported serving upwards of one billion end users. Its platforms accounted for over half of global SMS revenue. The company employed around 1,500 personnel distributed across 22 countries and held a leading position in the delivery of MMS platforms catering to content providers and marketing agencies.
In June 2015, Acision was purchased by Comverse, Inc. for a sum estimated between $135 million and $210 million in cash and stock. After this transaction, Comverse rebranded itself as Xura.
External links
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- Technology companies established in 2007
- Technology companies disestablished in 2015
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- Software companies of the United Kingdom
- British companies established in 2007
- British companies disestablished in 2015
- 2007 establishments in England
- 2015 disestablishments in England