This is the third development center — LifeLabs — in addition to similar centers in Singapore and Boston.
SingTel’s initial focus will be on voice and facial recognition as well as systems that enable mobile and Wi-Fi networks to work more efficiently.
The development center is part of SingTel’s investment in new technology.
SingTel has a corporate venture fund of $161 million and part of this will be dedicated to Israel.
Amdocs has significant presence in Israel and India. In Israel, the R&D centers are located in three different sites throughout the country, and approximately 24 percent of the company’s software and information technology, sales and marketing workforce is located in Israel.
Allen Lew, chief executive of SingTel’s digital life group, said: “More and more mobile customers are using mobile devices for more than just communications. In our business it’s not enough to be up to date, we have to be up to tomorrow.”
SingTel aims at investing in Israeli startups, fund academic and research institutes and collaborate with incubators and angel investors to find interesting technologies.
Amdocs already has a similar center with AT&T but there would not be conflicts of interest as the two operators do not compete in any markets.
SingTel has already invested in two Israeli start-ups and last year acquired mobile advertising company Amobee, which has a technology center in Israel.
Amdocs’ revenues increased to $822.1 million in fourth quarter, up 1.2 percent. In Q4,
service revenue was $798.1 million, up 2.24 percent year-over-year. License revenue was down 24 percent to $24.0 million.
(source: freerangetraveller)
Arvind Krishna
editor@telecomlead.com