BlackBerry Acquires Messaging Alert Firm AtHoc

Waterloo-based BlackBerry has acquired privately held AtHoc, a provider of secure, networked crisiscommunications for a wide range of clients including governments, the military and companies.The deal is expected to close by November of this year. Financial terms of the deal were not disclosed. 

BlackBerry said AtHoc will broaden the company's software offerings and services. The company said AtHoc platform will be integrated with its enterprise portfolio. The deal follows BlackBerry's purchase of secure enterprise sync and share vendor WatchDox in April, its purchase of voice and data encryption startup Movirtu in September 2014, and its 2014 acquisition of German-based security software Secusmart. 

John Chen, BlackBerry CEO, in a statement called the AtHoc acquisition the company's latest that aims to make communications more secure for its customers. 

“BlackBerry is making strategic investments in security, privacy and the Internet of Things, and acquiring AtHoc will enable us to provide a holistic, end-to-end approach to communications”, and added also this: “We have a proud history of securing mission-critical communications for the public sector as well as enterprises operating in the most highly regulated industries. AtHoc's technology and expertise will play a key role as BlackBerry works to connect and secure a broad range of endpoints.”

Based in San Mateo, California, AtHoc is a provider of secure, networked crisis communications for a wide range of clients including governments, the military and enterprises. The company's services are used by top clients, including the US Defense Department, US Homeland Security and a number of companies. It services help organizations, the military and companies reach their staff via their smartphones, digital displays, radios and etc., in  time of crisis and rescue efforts. 

John Chen, BlackBerry CEO, said in an interview that: “AtHoc is an alerts system, but it also needs richer content and that can be provided by BlackBerry Messenger (BBM), which offers not just text, but voice, picture and video sharing, so we can provide a much richer experience to their clients.” 

The deal, which announced and highlighted at the second annual BlackBerry Security Summit, is the latest in a string of acquisitions made by the Waterloo-based company, as it move to focus more on its software offerings. 

Image Credit: The Wall Street Journal