Xura

Xura, Inc.

Company type	Private
Industry	Telecommunications software
Predecessor	Comverse, Inc.
Founded	February 4, 2013 (2013-02-04) in Wakefield, Massachusetts, United States
Defunct	2017 (2017)
Fate	Merged into Mavenir
Successor	Mavenir
Headquarters	Wakefield , United States
Area served	Worldwide
Key people	Philippe Tartavull (President and CEO), Hubert de Pesquidoux (Executive Chairman)
Products	Digital Communications Services, Converged Communications, Business Support Systems (BSS), Messaging Infrastructure, Secure Communication Solutions
Owner	Siris Capital Group (from August 2016)
Number of employees	3,000 (approximate in 2015) (2015)

Xura, Inc. (previously known as Comverse, Inc.) was a technology firm based in Wakefield, Massachusetts, United States, active from 2013 until 2017. It delivered digital communication solutions that facilitated worldwide connectivity across various mobile devices and platforms, primarily serving communications service providers (CSPs) and corporate clients.

Comverse Technology Subsidiary

For an extended period, Comverse Network Systems functioned as a part of the broader Comverse Technology conglomerate, which comprised several subsidiaries. The brand name "Comverse" is a blend of "communication" and "versatility." Established on November 19, 1997, as a U.S. subsidiary, Comverse operated within this structure until significant organizational changes occurred.

In August 2012, plans were announced to dismantle Comverse Technology as an operational entity. This process involved separating Comverse Network Systems into an independent company named Comverse, while Verint Systems reacquired its previous holdings and other subsidiaries were divested. Philippe Tartavull was appointed as CEO of the newly independent Comverse.

By February 4, 2013, the restructuring finalized the dissolution of Comverse Technology’s holding framework and launched Comverse, Inc. as a standalone publicly traded company focused on telecommunications software solutions and services.

Comverse, Inc.

During fiscal year 2011, coinciding with the separation from Comverse Technology, Comverse returned to profitability with a net income of $5.1 million.

As of March 2015, Comverse employed approximately 3,000 individuals worldwide, including 750 based in Israel, with its main office located in Wakefield, Massachusetts, USA.

The company concentrated on Business Support Systems (BSS), data policy enforcement (PCEF, PCRF), and both traditional and IP-based value-added services for telecom operators and service providers. Its offerings were complemented by professional and managed services. Notable products included Traditional VAS (TVAS), Digital Services from the Cloud (mVas), Unified Communications featuring Cloud Business VoIP & UC, and the Evolved Communication Suite.

In June 2015, Comverse sold its BSS division to Amdocs. Subsequently, two months later, it finalized the acquisition of Acision, a privately held company specializing in secure mobile messaging and engagement solutions.

Xura

Following the acquisition of Acision on August 6, 2015, Comverse underwent rebranding to become Xura, Inc. on September 9, 2015. The name 'Xura' is inspired by 'Aura,' representing leadership in digital communications. All subsidiaries formerly under Comverse and Acision were also renamed accordingly.

Philippe Tartavull continued his role as President and CEO. Xura’s primary business centered on Digital Communications Services and Converged Communications encompassing both traditional and IP technologies. The company was listed on NASDAQ under the ticker MESG.

Xura focused on enabling clients to capitalize on the digital ecosystem through cloud-based offerings, supporting over 350 service providers and enterprises across more than 100 countries.

On May 23, 2016, Xura agreed to be purchased by affiliates of Siris Capital Group at $25 per share in an all-cash deal valued around $643 million. The transaction was completed on August 19, 2016, transitioning Xura from a publicly traded entity to private ownership under Siris Capital Group. Hubert de Pesquidoux from Siris Capital assumed the position of Executive Chairman at Xura.

Acquisition by Mavenir

On December 19, 2016, affiliates of Xura reached an agreement to purchase Mitel Mobility, a business unit of Mitel Networks Corporation, for $385 million. Additionally, they acquired Ranzure Networks, Inc., a startup specializing in 5G cloud-based radio access networks, for an undisclosed sum. This transaction was finalized on February 8, 2017, leading to Xura’s merger into the newly established company Mavenir.

Product and Service Portfolio

Xura’s product lineup was organized into three primary segments:

• Digital Communications:
  • Xura Communications Suite
  • Messaging Infrastructure
  • Call Completion Solutions
  • Network Signaling Security
  • Messaging Security Systems
• Monetization:
  • Low Credit Services
  • Advanced Value-Added Services
• Enterprise:
  • White-label Communications Application (fuseMe)
  • Secure Communication Solutions
  • Rich Web and Mobile Application Development Framework (forge)

Awards and Industry Accolades

Both Xura and its predecessor Comverse earned numerous industry honors that emphasized their innovation and leadership in the market:

• 2015 – WebRTC Product of the Year Award
• 2014 – Pipeline's COMET Innovation Award for Comverse Evolved Communication Suite (ECS)
• 2014 – TMC's Communications Solutions Product of the Year Awards recognizing Comverse ONE BSS and ECS
• 2012–2014 – Placement in Gartner Leaders Quadrant for Comverse ONE BSS
• 2012, 2013 – International Business Awards (Stevie) acknowledging Best New Product or Service (DMM Policy Studio, Analytics)
• 2012 – Broadband Traffic Management Congress Awards for Traffic Management Integration and Real-Time Charging Platforms
• 2012 – Frost & Sullivan Stratecast’s Billing Global Product Line Strategy Award

These distinctions highlighted the company’s strategic leadership and competitive edge within telecommunications software markets.