Airbus DS Communications still looking for a buyer, plans to sell global division as one unit

Airbus DS Communications remains on the selling block and current plans call for all Airbus public-safety-communications assets worldwide to be sold as a single package, according to Airbus DS Communications CEO Bob Freinberg.

The provider of the VESTA portfolio of 911 and LMR offerings, Airbus DS Communications has been for sale since last September, when the European-based board of parent company Airbus Group decided to divest the parent company of all assets not related to the aircraft industry. Since that time, industry analysts have speculated whether the public-safety-communications assets would be sold as a single unit or whether different pieces—such as Airbus DS Communications, which serves the North America market—would be sold separately.

Freinberg said he could not comment about any details about the sale but indicated that the plan is to sell Airbus DS Communications as a global package.

“One thing I can tell you is that it is the intention to sell us in total with all of the division that has nationwide radio networks around the world—whether it’s Germany, France, etc.—and it’s that entire division that’s up for sale, of which we’re part of,” Freinberg said during an interview with IWCE’s Urgent Communications. “The intention is that the global aspects of this decision will be sold in all together in one block.”

In terms of the timing of the sale, Freinberg said “we do expect a decision sometime this year” but offered the following caveat: “That is our ambition. What happens may be different.”

In the meantime, Freinberg said he is encouraged by the fact that Airbus DS Communications has announced several customer wins with long-term contracts, despite the fact that the ownership of the company is in limbo.

“I think it’s because they realize that we do what we say and that even companies the size of Motorola can be bought,” he said. “It says that everybody is for sale at one moment in time. It just so happens that our shareholders announced it first, but everybody else can be bought, too—that’s the reality that we’ve brought home.”