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 San Mateo, California-based AtHoc's services are used by a number of
top clients including the U.S. Department of Defense, Homeland
Security and a host of blue-chip companies, to provide software that
seamlessly allows them to reach staff via their smartphones, or via
digital displays, radios, and even sirens, in times of crisis. Its
services help organizations and people share information during
business continuity and rescue efforts.
The terms of the transaction, which is expected to close by
November, were not disclosed.
"AtHoc is an alerts system, but it also needs richer content and
that can be provided by BlackBerry Messenger (BBM), which offers not
just text, but voice, picture and video sharing, so we can provide a
much richer experience to their clients," said BlackBerry Chief
Executive John Chen in an interview.
The deal is the latest in a string of acquisitions made by the
smartphone pioneer, as it pivots to focus more on software and turn
around its faded fortunes.
Earlier this year, Chen said he saw a part of the company's targeted
software revenue growth in the current fiscal year coming from
acquisitions of companies that will allow it to sell more
value-added services.
In April, Waterloo, Ontario-based BlackBerry announced plans to
acquire privately-held software maker WatchDox, which secures files.
Its services are used by some of the world's top federal agencies,
private equity firms, and a slew of Hollywood studios.
This followed last year's buyout of Secusmart, a German firm that
specializes in voice and data encryption and British tech start-up
Movirtu, whose software allows users to have two phone numbers on
the same device with a single SIM card.
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"AtHoc, with its messaging alerts, is the next piece in the puzzle,"
said Chen, noting that the firm has some large marquee clients that
compliment BlackBerry's own customer base.
The acquisitions made so far have helped BlackBerry ramp up its
portfolio of services that cater to the needs of its core base of
clients, such as corporations and government agencies.
"Becoming part of BlackBerry will give us the ability to scale more
quickly to expand our global reach and introduce new applications
for the AtHoc platform," said AtHoc CEO Guy Miasnik in a statement.
(Editing by Muralikumar Anantharaman)
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