BT looks to challenge Android, iPhone, Skype

In a bid to become a more relevant player in the "telco 2.0" space, BT bought up Silicon Valley phone firm Ribbit for $105 million, ZDNet.co.uk reports.

Ribbit offers an open platform to developers for creating Internet telephony applications and services. Using Ribbit technology, for example, developers can build applications that work across mobile phones and landlines, as well as desktop and Internet applications. The technology is just what BT needs to become a player in the emerging phone app space, the vendor says. As ZDNet reports, a BT rep says the acquisition will help it:

"leapfrog competition and gain a strategic advantage in the Silicon Valley 'telco 2.0' platform race, which includes Google Android and Apple's iPhone [software-development kit]". On the unified-communications side, the acquired technology should also pit BT against services such as Skype and Google's GrandCentral."

In the deal, Ribbit becomes part of BT but will retain its name and management team. For more info, see the Ribbit press release.