Pleasanton, Calif., December 15, 2008 – Trapeze Networks, a leader in wireless network equipment and management systems, has acquired Newbury Networks, a leader in WLAN location systems. The acquisition will enable Trapeze to deliver a broader set of WLAN products to growing market segments worldwide and to integrate best-of-breed location capabilities into its products. Trapeze has been an OEM partner of Newbury since 2006.
Newbury, backed by Idealab of Pasadena, CA, enables enterprises to locate, manage and secure mobile assets over WLANs. A wide range of vertical markets worldwide are currently deploying Newbury’s location platform and applications. For example, healthcare organizations use Newbury’s asset tracking and management application, Active Asset™ to improve clinical efficiencies and patient care through real-time tracking and management of expensive, critical care equipment. Inventory managers in supply chain settings also use these systems to track the location of valuable assets in the warehouse. In addition, Newbury’s security applications provide an added layer of authentication capabilities to limit network access privileges and protect mission-critical data and corporate assets from outside intruders.
“Newbury Networks is a leader in location services with customers that include Apple, Bechtel, Hewlett-Packard, MIT, the National Security Agency and the Smithsonian Institution,” said Jim Vogt, president of Trapeze Networks. “Newbury Networks also partners with other companies to deliver location service solutions to customers and these partners include 3Com and Nortel, two of our OEM customers. We believe the combination of Newbury Networks and Trapeze Networks creates a formidable competitor and a comprehensive wireless network solution.”
Newbury Networks will operate as an independent business unit within Trapeze Networks. The entire sixteen employees of the Newbury Networks team will remain at the company and will continue to support its current OEM and channel partners from its headquarters in Boston, Mass. Michael Maggio will report to Jim Vogt. Included in the acquisition is the broad Newbury patent portfolio for location services technology.
“Trapeze and Newbury share a common vision, strategy and commitment to enable enterprise customers to fundamentally enhance business processes through location-based services for wireless-LANs,” said Michael Maggio, president and chief executive officer, Newbury Networks. “This combined organization provides a growing market with proven wireless-LAN solutions and location applications to seamlessly and securely link people, assets and information to build a truly mobile workforce.”
Real-Time Location-Based Services: Its Time Has Arrived
In the May 2007 report titled Maximizing WLAN Investments With Real-Time Location-Based Services, Chris Silva at Forrestor Research wrote, “Real-time location-based services (RTLS) have arrived and can be easier to deploy on existing WLANs than voice services. In addition to making use of a planned or already implemented IT asset, the returns from investments in WLAN technology can be extended to areas such as audit and compliance, security, and asset tracking — all capabilities well-suited to current RTLS solutions.”
“Location and tracking technology is rapidly becoming a key requirement on all enterprise-class wireless-LAN systems,” said Craig Mathias, a principal with the wireless and mobile advisory firm Farpoint Group. “Newbury Networks has been a clear leader in this field since its inception, and the acquisition provides Trapeze Networks with both solid technology and a proven portfolio of important business applications.”
Industry research indicates that WLAN location-based services provide a compelling revenue opportunity worldwide with forecasts that it will be a $1B opportunity by 2011. Deployment of Wi-Fi location-based applications deliver additional value from wireless networks, amortize existing investments and reduce overall costs. In addition to voice services, Wi-Fi location-based applications are among the most popular for enterprise WLAN deployments.
About Trapeze Networks
Trapeze Networks is a leader in enterprise wireless LAN equipment and management software. Trapeze was the first company to introduce NonStop Wireless - delivering unmatched reliability to the enterprise wireless LAN and its solutions are optimized for companies requiring mobility and high bandwidth such as healthcare, education, and hospitality. Trapeze delivers Smart Mobile™ providing scalable wireless LANs for applications such as Voice over Wi-Fi, location services, and indoor/outdoor connectivity.
# # #
