Ericsson acquires ACC to become a major player in carrier-class remote access

Ericsson acquires ACC to become a major player in carrier-class remote access Ericsson announced today that it has reached a definitive agreement to acquire Advanced Computer Communication (ACC), a California-based leading vendor of integrated, carrier-class remote access and internetworking products for a total of approx. USD 285 million (SEK 2,280 million) in cash. "The decision to buy ACC is in line with Ericsson's previously stated acquisition strategy which focuses on attractive small-to-medium size companies, with the objective to acquire competencies in targeted areas," said Anders Igel, Executive Vice President of Ericsson. ACC's current management team will remain in place following completion of the deal. Newbridge, the current majority owner, will continue to resell ACC products. In support of the Carrier Scale Internetworking (CSI) program, developed by Newbridge and others, Ericsson will implement CSI into ACC's carrier-class access system. ACC is a pioneer in the field of routing and remote access technologies, with a technology leadership proven by products such as the award-winning Tigris, the world's first scaleable carrier remote access platform. Ericsson sees excellent synergies between ACC's portfolio of remote access products and its own IP-based networking solutions and future development plans. Ericsson's focus in datacom and IP is on carrier-class solutions. The goal is to become a significant player through a step-by-step approach. Ericsson sees significant opportunities through the combination of its strengths in fixed and wireless networks with the capabilities of ACC. Ericsson and ACC began collaborating one and a half years ago and have already forged successful working relationships through several joint product developments to provide homogeneous Internet access solutions across wireless and fixed networks. "Ericsson's global presence, financial strength, and strong commitment to R&D offer the environment ACC needs to grow and continue to develop its technological expertise. ACC's management team is committed to this new opportunity," said ACC's President Bert Whyte. "ACC is an excellent fit to the approach we want to take to datacoms, which emphasizes solutions, not boxes, and covers the entire network. ACC's position creates a major opportunity for Ericsson to capture a significant part of the carrier-class remote access market," said Michael Thurk, Executive Vice President and General Manager of Ericsson's business unit Datacom Networks and IP Services. Additional information about the deal can be found on web-page http://www.ericsson.com/BN/interview Ericsson´s 100,000 employees are active in more than 130 countries. Their combined expertise in fixed and mobile networks, mobile phones and infocom systems makes Ericsson a world-leading supplier in telecommunications. FOR FURTHER INFORMATION, PLEASE CONTACT Lars Östlund, Press Relations Manager Ericsson Business Area Infocom Systems Phone: + 46 8 681 2656, or + 46 70 326 2656 e-mail: lars.ostlund@etx.ericsson.se Eric Österberg, Director of Communication Ericsson Business Area Mobile Systems Phone: +46 8 757 2159 e-mail: eric.osterberg@era.ericsson.se Kathy Egan, Vice President, Communications Ericsson Inc, Phone: +1 212 685 4030