Amdocs acquires Qpass for $275M

We got the tip last month, now it's official: Amdocs has acquired Qpass for $275 million in an all cash deal. The deal positions Amdocs as a major force in the mobile content value chain. Qpass' mobile content services enable the buying and selling of digital goods across mobile, VoIP and WiFi networks and include the entire digital commerce transaction process from content sourcing, merchandising and delivery to billing and customer care. Qpass' customers include Cingular, T-Mobile International, Vodafone, Sprint, Alltel and Skype. The company says it has processed more than 400 million premium downloads since it launched, which adds up to $900 million in gross retail sales.

Insiders say Amdocs' winning bid beat out Lucent, which bowed out around the $240 million mark. More than likely it had something to do with Alcatel courting Lucent as an acquisition target. The two companies announced their intent to merge shortly after. Another rumor awaiting confirmation is Qpass' acquisition of Simplewire, a next-gen messaging company. Simplewire's CTIA booth included a display showing a consumer texting "COKE" to a shortcode and a vending machine spitting out the chosen drink.

For more on Amdocs' acquisition of Qpass:
- see this press release