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Metaswitch
UK-based technology company

Metaswitch Networks (formerly Data Connection Ltd) is a private UK-based telecommunications software company. It was acquired by Microsoft in July 2020 and subsequently by Alianza on March 4, 2025. Metaswitch Networks designs, develops, manufactures, and markets telecommunications software to communication service providers, equipment manufacturers, and large enterprises.

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Corporate history

Metaswitch (then Data Connection) was founded in 1981 by seven former IBM employees led by Ian Ferguson, who remained on the board of directors until the company's acquisition by Microsoft.3456 The company's earliest business areas included IBM Systems Network Architecture (SNA) and retail point of sale systems. In the 1990s, the company began developing network protocol software.7

In 2000, the company launched the Metaswitch brand, which provided softswitches and network management systems designed to enable telephone service providers to migrate to Voice over IP (VoIP) networks while still supporting legacy telephone technologies.8 By 2008, the Metaswitch division was responsible for 78% of the company's revenue.9

In April 2009, the company announced intentions to consolidate all of its products and business operations under the Metaswitch brand, with two business units: the Carrier Systems Division and Network Protocol Division.10 In October 2009, the company rebranded itself as Metaswitch Networks, to reflect the growing focus on the products and services that it sells to telephone service providers.11

In August 2011, the company formally changed its name from Data Connection Ltd to Metaswitch Networks Ltd.12

In July 2014, the company moved some of its software to open-source with the launch of Project Calico.13 Project Calico was subsequently spun out into an independent startup, Tigera, Inc., with Andy Randall (formerly the general manager of Metaswitch’s Networking Business Unit) as CEO.14

In May 2020, Microsoft announced a definitive agreement to acquire Metaswitch Networks.1516 On 15 July 2020, the acquisition was completed.1718

In June 2024, Microsoft made major cuts to its Azure for Operators business, which then included most of Metaswitch.19

In December 2024, Alianza announced that it had signed a definitive agreement to acquire Metaswitch from Microsoft.20 On 04 March 2025, the acquisition was completed.21

Acquisitions

In March 2010, the firm acquired AppTrigger Inc, a provider of service broker software in Richardson, Texas.22 In April 2011, it acquired Colibria AS, a provider of Rich Communication Suite (RCS) software in Oslo, Norway.23 In February 2017, Metaswitch acquired OpenCloud Ltd, a provider of an open mobile services platform.24

Ownership and investors

In 1987, Metaswitch established the Employee Benefit Trust (EBT) to hold shares of the company on behalf of the employees, which enabled company-wide profit sharing.2526

In January 2008 Francisco Partners, a private equity firm, and Sequoia Capital, a venture capitalist firm, invested an undisclosed sum in Metaswitch.2728

References

  1. "Microsoft to acquire Metaswitch Networks to expand Azure capabilities for operators". Microsoft Blog. 14 May 2020. Retrieved 30 April 2025. https://blogs.microsoft.com/blog/2020/05/14/microsoft-to-acquire-metaswitch-networks-to-expand-azure-capabilities-for-operators/ ↩

  2. "Alianza Completes Acquisition of Metaswitch from Microsoft to Empower Service Provider Growth and Help Telcos Close a Massive Gap in Services Revenue" (Press release). PR Newswire. 4 March 2025. Retrieved 30 April 2025. https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/alianza-completes-acquisition-of-metaswitch-from-microsoft-to-empower-service-provider-growth-and-help-telcos-close-a-massive-gap-in-services-revenue-302390752.html ↩

  3. "History". Metaswitch Networks. http://network-technologies.metaswitch.com/company/history.aspx ↩

  4. "MetaSwitch - Engineered for Success in VoB/VoIP". Optical Keyhole. 15 March 2004. Archived from the original on 20 August 2007. https://web.archive.org/web/20070820124301/http://opticalkeyhole.com/interviews/metaswitch.asp ↩

  5. "Board of Directors". Metaswitch Networks. http://www.metaswitch.com/company/board-of-directors ↩

  6. "METASWITCH NETWORKS LTD - Filing history (free information from Companies House)". beta.companieshouse.gov.uk. Retrieved 15 July 2020. https://beta.companieshouse.gov.uk/company/01578918/filing-history ↩

  7. "History". Metaswitch Networks. http://network-technologies.metaswitch.com/company/history.aspx ↩

  8. "History". Metaswitch Networks. http://network-technologies.metaswitch.com/company/history.aspx ↩

  9. Karpinski, Rich (29 October 2008). "Metaswitch Touts 22% Growth". Connected Planet Online. Archived from the original on 21 July 2011. https://web.archive.org/web/20110721004253/http://connectedplanetonline.com/software/news/metaswitch-touts-growth-1029/index.html ↩

  10. Mohney, Doug (8 April 2009). "MetaSwitch Forum 2009: MetaSwitch appoints Lazar CEO, adds DeNuccio to board, consolidates brand". FierceVoIP. FierceMarkets. Archived from the original on 11 December 2010. https://web.archive.org/web/20101211113959/http://www.fiercevoip.com/story/metaswitch-forum-2009-metaswitch-appoints-lazar-ceo-adds-denuccio-board-consolidates-brand/200 ↩

  11. "Metaswitch Networks Annual Results Show Revenue Growth, Strong Profitability and Market Share Gains" (Press release). Metaswitch Networks. 7 October 2009. Archived from the original on 9 November 2011. https://web.archive.org/web/20111109113201/http://www.metaswitch.com/news/press-releases/2009/metaswitch-networks-annual-results-show-revenue-growth-strong-profitability ↩

  12. "Metaswitch Networks". Companies in the UK. http://www.companiesintheuk.co.uk/ltd/metaswitch-networks ↩

  13. "Metaswitch opens NFV code as Project Calico". The Register. Retrieved 1 January 2018. https://www.theregister.co.uk/2014/07/10/metaswitch_opens_nfv_code_as_project_calico/ ↩

  14. Tozzi, Christopher (20 May 2016). "Tigera Plans to Solve the Container Networking Challenge". https://www.sdxcentral.com/articles/news/tigera-plans-to-solve-the-container-networking-challenge/2016/05/ ↩

  15. "Microsoft announces definitive agreement to acquire Metaswitch Network". 14 May 2020. https://blogs.microsoft.com/blog/2020/05/14/microsoft-announces-definitive-agreement-to-acquire-metaswitch-networks-expanding-approach-to-empower-operators-and-partner-with-network-equipment-providers-to-deliver-on-promise-of-5g ↩

  16. Khalidi, Yousef (14 May 2020). "Microsoft announces definitive agreement to acquire Metaswitch Networks, expanding approach to empower operators and partner with network equipment providers to deliver on promise of 5G". Retrieved 12 October 2021. https://blogs.microsoft.com/blog/2020/05/14/microsoft-announces-definitive-agreement-to-acquire-metaswitch-networks-expanding-approach-to-empower-operators-and-partner-with-network-equipment-providers-to-deliver-on-promise-of-5g/ ↩

  17. Khalidi, Yousef (14 May 2020). "Microsoft announces definitive agreement to acquire Metaswitch Networks, expanding approach to empower operators and partner with network equipment providers to deliver on promise of 5G". Retrieved 12 October 2021. https://blogs.microsoft.com/blog/2020/05/14/microsoft-announces-definitive-agreement-to-acquire-metaswitch-networks-expanding-approach-to-empower-operators-and-partner-with-network-equipment-providers-to-deliver-on-promise-of-5g/ ↩

  18. "Microsoft Completes Metaswitch Networks Acquisition". 16 July 2020. https://www.channele2e.com/investors/private-equity/microsoft-completes-metaswitch-networks-acquisition ↩

  19. "Layoffs crash into Microsoft's Azure for Operators". www.lightreading.com. Retrieved 7 February 2025. https://www.lightreading.com/cloud/layoffs-crash-into-microsoft-s-azure-for-operators ↩

  20. "Alianza Signs Definitive Agreement to Acquire Metaswitch from Microsoft | Alianza". www.alianza.com. 10 December 2024. Retrieved 7 February 2025. https://www.alianza.com/press-releases/alianza-to-acquire-metaswitch-from-microsoft/ ↩

  21. "Alianza Completes Acquisition of Metaswitch from Microsoft to Empower Service Provider Growth and Help Telcos Close a Massive Gap in Services Revenue - Full-Stack Communications for Service Providers | Alianza". www.alianza.com. 4 March 2025. Retrieved 5 March 2025. https://www.alianza.com/press-releases/alianza-completes-acquisition-of-metaswitch-from-microsoft/ ↩

  22. "Metaswitch Enters Service Broker Market with Acquisition of AppTrigger" (Press release). Metaswitch Networks. 9 March 2010. Archived from the original on 9 November 2011. https://web.archive.org/web/20111109113505/http://www.metaswitch.com/news/press-releases/2010/metaswitch-enters-service-broker-market-acquisition-apptrigger ↩

  23. "Metaswitch Acquires Colibria" (Press release). Metaswitch Networks. 6 April 2011. Archived from the original on 9 November 2011. https://web.archive.org/web/20111109114232/http://www.metaswitch.com/news/press-releases/2011/metaswitch-acquires-colibria ↩

  24. "Metaswitch Eyes VoLTE With OpenCloud Buy | Light Reading". Light Reading. Retrieved 13 March 2017. http://www.lightreading.com/mobile/volte-rich-communications/metaswitch-eyes-volte-with-opencloud-buy/d/d-id/730336 ↩

  25. Jander, Mary (22 September 2003). "DCL: Hiring Toward Profits". Light Reading. UBM TechWeb. Archived from the original on 3 November 2003. https://web.archive.org/web/20031103090221/http://www.lightreading.com/document.asp?doc_id=40555 ↩

  26. "Stability". Metaswitch Networks. Ownership. Archived from the original on 12 June 2010. The company is privately held by top-tier investment firms Francisco Partners and Sequoia Capital, as well as the Employee Benefit Trust (EBT), which distributes a share of profit to all employees… https://web.archive.org/web/20100612162730/http://www.metaswitch.com/company/stability.aspx ↩

  27. "Francisco Partners and Sequoia Capital make significant investment in Data Connection and MetaSwitch" (Press release). Metaswitch Networks. 14 January 2008. Archived from the original on 20 January 2012. https://web.archive.org/web/20120120225525/http://www.metaswitch.com/news/press-releases/2008/francisco-partners-and-sequoia-capital-make-significant-investment-data-con ↩

  28. Wilson, Carol (14 January 2008). "MetaSwitch gets cash infusion". Connected Planet Online. Archived from the original on 21 July 2011. https://web.archive.org/web/20110721004341/http://connectedplanetonline.com/software/news/metaswitch-finding-investment-0114/ ↩