Icomera, the supplier of Internet connectivity to trains, has agreed to acquire UK-based Moovera Networks, the manufacturer of fixed and mobile communications systems. As a result of the merger Icomera AB says it will become the foremost provider of in-vehicle, industrial-grade Internet access technology – encompassing trains, buses, coaches, trucks and ferries – with a global customer base including many of the world's largest transport operators.
"The market for Internet connectivity on public transport is developing at a very rapid pace," said Ola Sj?lin, Chief Executive Officer at Icomera. "Whether for Wi-Fi hotspots, CCTV monitoring, vehicle tracking or streaming entertainment, real-time connections to buses and trains are increasingly in demand. Moovera has acquired a strong reputation in the industry as a developer of innovative yet price competitive technology and has established an impressive customer base that in many instances overlaps with our own. It was a natural progression for Icomera and Moovera to combine forces to offer a complete range of solutions from low-cost bus products to high-end systems certified for the railway industry. Moving forward we will continue to build on Icomera's position as the dominant force in on-board vehicle communications."
Icomera currently offers high-reliability, backhaul-agnostic communications gateways supporting concurrent satellite, cellular and trackside networks in a single in-vehicle system that – using patented technology – automatically switches to use the best wide area network without session interruption. With the acquisition of Moovera Networks, Icomera will add Moovera's multi-radio Moovbox product family to create the most advanced portfolio of fixed and mobile broadband gateways on the market. In addition to vehicular applications, Moovbox gateways have been used increasingly for public safety and outdoor municipal wireless applications, and by cellular network operators seeking to expand into Wi-Fi hotspot services.
"For some time now Moovera and Icomera have been addressing the same markets from different directions," said Jim Baker, CEO and founder of Moovera. "While Icomera has focused on sophisticated and complex rail systems, we have been targeting the broader market for Internet connectivity on road transport and outdoor networks. Many of the world's largest transport operators like National Express and First Group own rail and bus networks and are already deploying both Icomera and Moovera solutions; the merger of our two businesses will create a single supplier with the best possible range of solutions for our customers worldwide."
Following the acquisition, Icomera will adopt the Moovbox brand for its new combined product line and leverage Moovera's worldwide network of Channel Partners who sell and support Moovbox systems in their regional markets. Moovera's Kent-based operations and its nine employees will become Icomera's UK office, bringing the total workforce in Sweden and the UK to over forty people. Moovera CEO Jim Baker will take up the post of Chief Marketing Officer at Icomera. The financial terms of the acquisition have not been disclosed.