Systems Integration Mobile Communication (Simoco), the UK-based multinational, has acquired a 51 per cent stake in Philips Telecommunication Industries (PTIL) as part of the worldwide acquisition of the private mobile radio division of the Dutch multinational.
Simoco has acquired Philips manufacturing facilities in Calcutta, UK, France and Australia, as a part of the deal. It will pick up the remaining 49 per cent stake, now held by Philips India, by next year. The company will then be renamed Simoco South East Asia Ltd.
Simoco, which is backed by the UK-based venture capital fim CINVen, is a $ 300-million multinational involved in wireless communication and is headed by Ian Mckenzie, former managing director of Philips Cambridge.
Simoco provides radio communications products, systems and services to users in public safety, utilities, transportation and other industries through a global network of offices.
It will enhance the existing businesses in India in order to make it a supply centre. It will also promote new open standards for digital mobile communication in the country and by the end of the next year, the first sub-systems are expected to be operational. It will target professional users as the basis for transition from analogue to digital technology. The mobile radio truncked service basically uses the braodcast mode of communication primarily meant for group conversations targeted at public safety organisations as well as private business.
Besides the current product line, the new company will introduce mobile radio truncking service (MRTS) and products for emerging private mobile radio networks.
Private mobile radio products have applications in the overall infrastructure development as well as for public safety organisations like public transport, airports, mining along with public trunked mobile radio networks.