European Tech Wire - July 6, 2005

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EUROPEAN TECH WIRE - July 6, 2005
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Thames Tech Wire/European Tech Wire Networking Event
londonevent@thamestechwire.com

o European Parliament Rejects Controversial Patent Directive
o Sigma Sells Mobile Technology to PCTEL for 22 Million Euro
o Oger Telecom to Pay 5.5 Billion Euro for Turk Telecom Stake
o smartFOCUS Acquires France-Based AIMS for 1.5 Million Euro
o High Integrity Raises 3.7 Million Euro in Second Round
o Mobile-Imaging Company Cognima Raises 10 Million Euro
o Briefly Noted: Goldman Sachs-Pirelli Cavi e Sistemi Energia-
Pirelli Cavi e Sistemi Telecom, Be Unlimited-24Mbps Broadband
Service, Vodafone Germany-Friedrich Joussen, Premier Farnell-
John Hirst, Vecta Software-Martin Mackay
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o European Parliament Rejects Controversial Patent Directive

Brussels -- In a landmark ruling, the European Parliament on
Wednesday rejected a proposed law that would have created a single
way of patenting software across the EU. Lawmakers overwhelmingly
rejected the highly controversial software patent directive (648 to 14),
arguing that human knowledge could not be patented and claiming that
the measure would have stifled innovation in Europe. "Patents will
continue to be handled by national patent offices ... as before, which
means different interpretations as to what is patentable, without any
judiciary control by the European Court of Justice," said EU External
Relations Commissioner Benita Ferrero-Waldner. The decision, which
will be seen as a blow to many of Europe's larger technology groups,
marks the first time in history that parliament has rejected a position
already approved by all of the EU member states.
http://makeashorterlink.com/?V2B95126B
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o Sigma Sells Mobile Technology to PCTEL for 22 Million Euro

Dublin -- PCTEL, a U.S.-based wireless broadband firm, announced
that it has acquired assets of Sigma Communications Group, an Ireland-
based mobile and telecommunications firm. Under the terms of the
agreement, Sigma sold its mobile network antennae "tilting" unit,
dubbed Sigma Wireless Technologies (SWT), to PCTEL for
approximately 22 million euro (£15 million). Sigma said its
shareholders could receive an additional 7.5 million euro depending on
whether the company is able to meet revenue targets over the next year
and a half. SWT's technology allows mobile operators to tilt base
station antennae, thereby allowing them to be directed toward high-
density locations to increase coverage in the area.
http://www.pctel.com/news-index.php 
http://www.sigma.ie/frame.html
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o Oger Telecom to Pay 5.5 Billion Euro for Turk Telecom Stake

Istanbul -- Oger Telecom, a newly created joint venture controlled by
the Saudi-Lebanese group Saudi Oger Ltd. and Italy-based
telecommunications firm Telecom Italia, announced that it has won the
battle for a 55% stake in Turk Telecom, the telecommunications
company formerly owned by the Turkish government. Under the terms
of the privatisation, Telecom Italia and Oger Telecom will sign a four-
year Technical Assistance Agreement with Avea, the Turkey-based
mobile operator in which Telecom Italia owns a 40% stake; Turk
Telekom, a 40% stake; and IsBank, a 20% stake. Oger Telecom said
that the partnership between Saudi Oger Ltd. and Telecom Italia would
focus on the mobile business, "given that Oger Telecom … will
continue its cooperation in fixed-line telephony with BT Telconsult".
http://makeashorterlink.com/?B3EA2126B
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o smartFOCUS Acquires France-Based AIMS for 1.5 Million Euro

Bristol, England -- smartFOCUS Ltd., a Bristol-based marketing
software firm, announced that it has acquired AIMS Software, a
France-based campaign-management software group, for
approximately 1.5 million euro (£1 million) in cash and new shares.
"The combination of AIMS's excellent reputation, leading software
solutions and knowledgeable local staff with smartFOCUS's existing
operations offers a number of synergies to the enlarged group, our
customers and partners," said smartFOCUS CEO Chris Underhill.
Under the terms of the deal, smartFOCUS, which is listed on the
London Stock Exchange's Alternative Investment Market, will issue 3.2
million shares and make a cash payment of about £400,000. An
additional payment of £500,000 in either cash or shares will be made
next July, the company said.
http://makeashorterlink.com/?Y6281526B
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o High Integrity Raises 3.7 Million Euro in Second Round

Hampshire, England -- High Integrity Solutions Ltd., a U.K.-based
software firm, announced that it has received £2.5 million (3.7 million
euro) of second-round venture-capital financing. Albany Ventures led
the round, with Foresight Venture Partners and Enterprise VCT Plc
(advised by Noble Fund Managers) also participating. High Integrity
said it would use the funds to market its software-development
framework for major engineering projects worldwide, particularly in
the avionics and transport industries. "Albany Ventures, Foresight
Venture Partners and Noble Fund Managers have proved themselves to
be astute investors in technology companies with the habit of picking
winners," said High Integrity Managing Director Ron Stewart. "We can
now shift our sales and marketing into top gear."
http://makeashorterlink.com/?J3952626B
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o Mobile-Imaging Company Cognima Raises 10 Million Euro

London -- Cognima, a U.K.-based mobile-imaging firm, announced
that it has raised £6.8 million (10 million euro) in venture-capital
financing. Crescendo Ventures led the round, with existing investors
Atlas Venture, TLcom Capital Partners and TTP Ventures also
participating. "Cognima's technology is uniquely able to transfer photos
and videos on and off mobile phones in a completely non-intrusive and
totally reliable way, with just a single key press," said Crescendo
Partner Ian Jenks. "The technology was designed to deal with the
adverse real-world conditions of moving data over mobile networks
whilst making the consumer experience effortless." Cognima said it
would use the funds to "build on its current commercial traction" and
"seize a global leadership position" in the mobile-imaging industry.
http://www.cognima.com/
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o Briefly Noted:

(Milan) The European Commission announced that it has approved the
proposed acquisition of the telecommunications cable businesses of
Italy-based Pirelli by Goldman Sachs, a U.S.-based investment bank.
The two divisions in question -- Pirelli Cavi e Sistemi Energia and
Pirelli Cavi e Sistemi Telecom -- are active in the production and sale
of cable systems in the energy and telecommunications sectors. The
Commission said that no company controlled by Goldman Sachs was
engaged in the EU in the same markets as those in which the acquired
businesses were active and that the acquired businesses faced strong
competition from companies such as Corning and DrakaComteq.
http://makeashorterlink.com/?P3B56326B 

(London) Be Unlimited, a U.K.-based Internet service provider (ISP),
announced that it plans to launch a 24Mbps broadband service in the
U.K. within the next three months. "The deregulation of the market
makes this a very exciting time for the U.K., and Be is here to make the
most of it, offering customers the full capability of ADSL2+ from
launch," said CEO Boris Ivanovic. "There is no reason to drag out the
increase in speed and launch in steps of 1Mb or 2Mb when the
capability is there to offer the maximum speeds available." Although
the new service would dwarf the current top speed of 8Mbps, industry
analysts have questioned the demand for such a service.
http://www.bethere.co.uk/news_release.html

(Frankfurt) U.K.-based Vodafone Group Plc, the largest mobile-phone
company in the world, announced that it has appointed Friedrich
Joussen as the new chief executive of its Germany-based operation,
effective Oct. 1. Vodafone said that Joussen, currently Vodafone
Germany's chief operating officer, would replace Jurgen von
Kuczkowski, who will retire from Vodafone in October. Vodafone
CEO Arun Sarin said that Joussen, who will sit on Vodafone's
executive committee, had extensive experience in the mobile industry
and had been instrumental in the successful growth of Vodafone's
German division.
http://www.vodafone.de/start.html

(London) Premier Farnell Plc, a U.K.-based component distributor,
announced that chief executive officer John Hirst has resigned from the
company's board of directors and that acting chairman Peter Gershon
would assume all executive responsibilities, effective immediately.
According to Premier Farnell, Hirst resigned after the board decided
that it was in shareholders' interest to seek a new chief executive to
"drive the performance of the business". Analysts say Hirst is being
held responsible for reduced profits and anaemic first-quarter sales in
the U.S. market.
http://makeashorterlink.com/?A1772326B

(Oxford, England) Vecta Software Corp., a U.K.-based software firm,
announced that it has appointed Martin Mackay, who boasts more than
15 years of experience in the European technology industry, as its new
chief executive officer. Prior to joining Vecta, Mackay was as a partner
and board member at Add Partners, a venture-capital firm focusing on
the European technology sector. He also held a number of positions at
Peoplesoft over an eight-year period, Vecta said. Vecta's sales-
intelligence software helps make sales teams more effective by
analysing customer buying patterns.
http://www.vecta.net/about_vecta.htm

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