Sonim Buys Indian Software Developer

By Colin C. Haley

Sonim Technologies` plan to hire engineers for a new R&D center in India came through with a deal to acquire Bangalore-based Synergy Infotech for an undisclosed sum.

Next up on the to-do list: filling out its center there to advance wireless Voice over Internet protocol (define) software.

``Sonim has been a partner with Synergy from an outsource perspective,`` Paul Macchia, a spokesman for Sonim, said. ``The two companies have a lot of history and [Synergy Infotech`s] existing a team can easily be folded into the company.``

Although the San Mateo, Calif.-based Sonim gains more than 50 engineers with the acquisition, the company is still hiring at the center, Macchia said.

The Bangalore center is Sonim`s fourth overseas office. It also has offices in Italy, Sweden and the United Kingdom.

Sonim was founded in 1999 by telecom and IT veterans. It is privately held and has raised more than $50 million in venture capital from 3i, Accel Partners, Apax Partners and BV Capital.

It develops client and server software that enables wireless data network operators to deliver high-margin voice services such as push-to-talk and voice messaging.

Sonim competes with Kodiak Networks, Motorola (Quote, Chart), Nokia and FastMobile (which last month banked $12 million in new financing).

For its part, Synergy executives cited the strong relationship with Sonim`s and that company`s position in the market as reasons for selling.

``Sonim is well positioned to take advantage of developments in the field of mobile telephony and provide the world`s best mobile VoIP solutions,`` R.K. Kulkarni, Synergy`s CEO, said in a statement.