Andrew Corporation has expanded its Geometrix® mobile location system product line with the acquisition of certain assets of Nortel’s wireless location business.
Andrew intends to integrate Nortel’s mobile location products, services, and associated research and development resources into its Geometrix business, part of Andrew’s Network Solutions Group. The transaction includes the hiring by Andrew of approximately 40 employees located at Nortel’s R&D center in Wollongong, Australia. The products of Nortel’s wireless location business that Andrew has acquired include serving mobile location center (SMLC), stand-alone SMLC, and gateway mobile location center (GMLC) systems, which process and calculate the position of mobile devices.
Andrew will manufacture and market the mobile location center products worldwide to Nortel customers who use GSM (global system for mobile communications) and UMTS (universal mobile telecommunications system) wireless network technology. Andrew also will provide warranty and maintenance support for Nortel’s installed base of SMLC and GMLC products. Terms of the transaction were not disclosed.
“Andrew’s Geometrix provides an extensive selection of mobile-locating technologies in one system, giving wireless operators unprecedented flexibility to offer services that meet the needs of their businesses and subscribers,” said Terry Garner, group president, Andrew Network Solutions. “With the addition of Nortel’s employees and products, Geometrix is ideal for operators everywhere in the world who need a versatile, cost-effective way to introduce and support location-based services for a variety of applications.”