EADS to purchase Nokia’s TETRA assets

EADS announced it plans to acquire Nokia’s TETRA assets. EADS expects the transaction to be completed in the fourth quarter of 2005, pending regulatory approvals, said Peter MacLaren, the company’s president of public safety.

EADS has competed with Nokia in Europe in recent years with its TETRAPOL products. While use of TETRA-compliant systems is more widespread, most large installations are TETRAPOL-based, said MacLaren. “This ends the battle between technologies A and B,” he said.

MacLaren said the acquisition would eliminate the competition and make EADS a stronger global player. “EADS will be similar in scale to Motorola,” he said.

However, MacLaren stressed that the acquisition would have no effect on EADS’ commitment to the Project 25 standard.