Nortel this week announced the acquisition of Pingtel's software-based unified communications system (compare unified communications systems).

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Pingtel is owned by Bluesocket, a developer of enterprise mobility products. Pingtel will provide new Session Initiation Protocol-based software capabilities to Nortel's enterprise unified-communications portfolio, as well as additional R&D capabilities.

Pingtel and Nortel had an existing OEM relationship, but the acquisition gives Nortel ownership of the Pingtel technology and furthers the company's ambitions to become more software-centric.

"We believe that bringing Pingtel's critical R&D capabilities in-house will enable us to further develop software-based solutions that go beyond the boundaries of our previous OEM relationship," said David Downing, Nortel general manager, Enterprise and SMB Communications Systems, in a statement.

Nortel will use the Pingtel software to deliver unified-communications products to enterprise customers of all segments. In the near term, Pingtel will bring software elements to Nortel's Software Communication System 500 unified-communications system for small-to-midsize businesses.

SCS 500 integrates e-mail, instant messaging and conferencing with business applications.

Under the terms of the agreement, Nortel will acquire the assets of Pingtel from Bluesocket. Financial terms were not disclosed.

Pingtel employees will work out of Nortel's Billerica, Mass., facilities.