ICT solutions group Atio Corporation has acquired UK-based X-Plor Holdings to boost its telecoms service offering in Africa and Europe.
Atio marketing director Adri Kilian says the deal is effective from 1 July, although final South African Reserve Bank approval was only received this week. She did not disclose the deal`s value.
"This is the first overseas purchase by Atio, but we have no others lined up as yet," she says.
X-Plor provides an autonomous service assurance test system for mobile operators focusing on network performance and revenue assurance.
Over the past six years, Atio`s Telecom Services division has focused on entrenching itself in both the African and European telecom services market, offering managed services for quality assessment and revenue assurance solutions to the GSM industry.
This service offering saw the Atio Telecom Services team making use of X-Plor`s products. By acquiring X-Plor, Atio boosts its presence on both continents, obtains intellectual property and is able to market itself more aggressively.
"There is great synergy between our businesses and it made sense to combine forces," says Chris Van der Sande, CEO of Atio.
"By acquiring X-Plor, Atio nearly doubles the size of its Telecom Services business, inherits a strong development arm with great intellectual property, a sales team and a well established support infrastructure in SA and the UK."
According to Van der Sande, Atio`s strength lies in the provision of managed services, while X-Plor offers an internationally recognised test system. "Combining the two companies results in an extremely focused team of ICT specialists able to provide both Europe and Africa with solutions and services," he says.
X-Plor`s South African team will relocate from Midrand to Atio`s Rivonia head office, while Atio will take over X-Plor`s team and London office.
"The results of this partnership will be visible immediately, providing GSM operators in Europe and Africa with unprecedented choice and capability in network performance and revenue assurance testing," says Tim Courtenay, MD of X-Plor.
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