Keynote buys firm for European push into mobile testing

By Mickey Alam Khan

April 22, 2008

Mobile is a key component for Keynote

Keynote Systems Inc., a mobile and Internet test and measurement service, bought French software company Zandan for nearly $3 million.

The deal wins Keynote the exclusive rights to the technology used to create the Keynote Mobile Application Perspective that was originally licensed three years ago from Zandan in a non-exclusive original equipment manufacturer deal.

“It makes us clearly the market leader in mobile testing and monitoring using simulated test probes,” said Umang Gupta, chairman/CEO of Keynote, San Mateo, CA.

The deal also gives Keynote access to Zandan’s wireless carrier customers, including the European Vodafone, Spain’s Telefonica and France’s Bouygues.

“It is our intention to migrate their customers to our MAP technology,” Mr. Gupta said.

Zandan is a 14-person company. Its founder and former chief technology officer, Jerome Jacq, joined Keynote last year.

The acquired company offers end-to-end customer simulation services, including interactive testing, service and handset acceptance, live monitoring, alerting, trouble shooting and SLA management.

The Keynote Mobile Application Perspective lets carriers and mobile content developers interactively test, measure and monitor mobile content from 22 locations worldwide using a library of more than 1,000 mobile device profiles.

Keynote’s Mobile Application Perspective service was implemented at several U.S. customers using Zandan code. So the deal made sense, since Keynote couldn’t allow the financially strapped French firm to fall into a rival’s hands.

Plans now call for extending Keynote’s expertise in that area to Europe. Zandan will be renamed Keynote France. Jerome Jacq will run the company, charged with growing Keynote’s mobile and Internet business in France, Spain and their neighbors.

“Our goal is to increase both our mobile revenue and Internet revenue,” Mr. Gupta said.