IBM To Acquire Irish Analytics Boffs The Now Factory

IBM logo © Tomasz Bidermann Shutterstiock

IBM buys into big data for telecoms firms with another European acquisition

Tech titan IBM has agreed to acquire Dublin-based analytics provider The Now Factory for an undisclosed fee.

The Now Factory targets communications service providers with software that can analyse large amounts of network and business data, with the aim of picking up quickly on outages, and improving customer experience by looking at statistics like 3G or 4G usage.

Big Data © Maksim Kabakou shutterstockBig Blue said it would tie in nicely with its own analytics offerings like MobileFirst, which looks at mobile device usage. Indeed, the whole purpose of the acquisition seems to be a reinvigorated focus on the telecoms vertical market.

Another IBM acquisition

“The Now Factory’s innovative solutions are all about enabling quick insights for better business results in the highly competitive telecommunications landscape,” said Tom Morrisroe, CEO of The Now Factory.

“As part of IBM, we can now extend our technologies to a broader range of clients to help them uncover new, untapped growth opportunities, and achieve tangible business value from big data and analytics.”

Bob Picciano, general manager for information management at the IBM Software Group, added: “The Now Factory’s software enhances IBM’s big data and analytics portfolio by improving the speed, development and implementation of big data solutions, and gives communications service providers the ability to better service their customers.”

The deal is expected to close in the fourth quarter of 2013.

Big Blue has been bolstering its big data division with a range of purchases around the British Isles. In September, it announced plans to acquire Daeja, A Milton Keynes firm which claims to  simplify access to unstructured data.

Are you a Big Blue mastermind? Try our IBM quiz!