Aptilo Buys More Policy Control Smarts

Aptilo Networks AB plans to beef up its Service Provider Information Technology (SPIT) capabilities with the acquisition of Swedish policy management specialist Service Factory. (See Aptilo to Buy Service Factory.)

In addition to this acquisition agreement, Aptilo has also announced it is now majority owned by private equity firm Norvestor V L.P., which has acquired the shares of previous financial investors in Aptilo.

Why this matters
Policy control is hot -- particularly for mobile operators -- and Aptilo is one of the companies making moves to get a piece of this SPIT action. As the company builds up its service management and policy control offerings for mobile operators, the acquisition of Service Factory will add momentum to this strategy as well as new customers. (See Policy Charges Into 4G World.)

Having specialized in service management and policy control for WiMax and WiFi operators, Aptilo recently introduced support for Policy and Charging Rules Function (PCRF) for LTE operators with its Service Management Platform (SMP). Service Factory will add to Aptilo's LTE and PCRF developments. (See Who Is Packing a PCRF? and Aptilo Adds LTE Policy Control.)

The acquisition of Service Factory will also add some European cellular operators to Aptilo's customer list. Service Factory's customers include LTE pioneer Telia Company , 3 Group , eir , and TDC A/S (Copenhagen: TDC).

For more
Check out these stories for the latest on the mobile operator fraternity's policy management requirements:

• Data Surge Fuels Policy Control Boom
• Boom Time for Policy
• Mobile Operators Hot for Policy Control
• Policy Player Ready to Rumble
• U.S. Cellular Believes in SPIT
• Vodafone Flexes Traffic Management Muscle
• 2010 Top Ten: A Year of SPIT
• Euro Carrier Issues Policy Control RFP

— Michelle Donegan, European Editor, Light Reading Mobile

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