Cisco Systems to Acquire MA-Based Software Company, BNI Video, for $99M

The networking behemoth, Cisco Systems, Inc., plans to continue its acquisition rampage in the Bay State. Cisco recently announced its intent to acquire Boxborough-based, BNI Video, which will be the 16^th Massachusetts acquisition for the San Jose-based company.

Danvers-based, LineSider Technologies, and Tewksbury-based, Starent Networks, were two of the most recent Bay State companies to be acquired by Cisco.

BNI is a video software company, whose products help Internet service providers deliver web-based as well as mobile video. Cisco’s acquisition of the company will help advance Cisco’s Videoscape TV platform. According to Cisco, the platform allows service providers to deliver “compelling video experiences” to any device over any Internet Protocol (IP) network.

“Cisco is committed to working with our service provider customers to deliver next-generation IP-based video experiences across devices,” said the senior vice president and general manager of Cisco’s Emerging Business Group, Marthin De Beer. “Service providers globally are embracing our Videoscape vision, and today with the acquisition of BNI Video, we are augmenting our Videoscape platform and giving customers a clear migration path to Videoscape.”

BNI’s video technology will also help Cisco’s customers reduce costs and expand opportunities for driving revenues. Two of these customers, Time Warner Cable and Comcast (who were also investors in BNI), recently commented on the acquisition.

“Combining forces with Cisco presents an opportunity to take video service providers to the next level with Internet video, helping to manage networks more efficiently to deliver advanced TV entertainment experiences to consumers,” said Time Warner Cable’s chief technology officer, Mike LaJoie.

Comcast’s chief technology officer, Tony Werner, stated, “With the combined expertise in IP video systems, Cisco and BNI Video offer service providers a compelling software and infrastructure platform to efficiently deliver video content to multiple devices.”

When the acquisition deal is closed, BNI employees will become part of Cisco’s Service Provider Video Technology Group. The $99 million that Cisco is handing over will be in the form of cash and retention-based incentives.

Cisco expects the acquisition to be complete in the second quarter of the 2012 fiscal year.

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Posted by erik devaney on Oct 20 2011. Filed under Business. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0. You can leave a response or trackback to this entry