Dialogic Group

Dialogic Group was an American communications technology company whose business centered on the software, hardware, and infrastructure used to deliver real-time voice, video, messaging, signaling, and related network services. Founded in Parsippany, New Jersey, in 1983 by engineers Nicholas Zwick and James Shinn, formerly of Advanced Micro Devices, and Kenneth Burkhardt, formerly of Unisys, the company initially developed communications hardware and associated technologies for telecommunications and enterprise environments. The company became part of Intel during the late-1990s technology boom. In 1999, Intel acquired Dialogic for a reported $780 million and operated it as the Media & Signaling Division. The division was later sold to Eicon in October 2006. Following that transaction, the business resumed the Dialogic name and began a new phase of expansion through acquisitions, mergers, and product-line integration. Dialogic subsequently assembled capabilities across media processing, signaling, switching, communications applications, and network optimization. Its corporate development included the absorption of NMS Communications and Cantata, with Cantata itself bringing businesses such as Brooktrout and Excel Switching into the broader portfolio. In May 2010, Dialogic announced a merger with Veraz Networks, a provider associated with softswitch and compression technologies. The combined company retained the Dialogic name. Around the same period, its headquarters moved from New Jersey to Milpitas, California, reflecting the company’s expanded technology and Silicon Valley presence. Ownership changed again in November 2014, when Canadian private-equity firm Novacap TMT IV acquired Dialogic. The company subsequently moved its headquarters back to Parsippany. In February 2016, Dialogic completed the acquisition of Apex Communications, expanding its application-development activities for service-provider and enterprise networks. This broadened its offering beyond network hardware into WebRTC, unified communications, interactive voice response, on-demand voicemail, and cloud-based private-branch-exchange applications. A major strategic shift followed in 2018. Sangoma Technologies acquired the key assets of Dialogic’s Converged Communication Division, including its associated hardware business. The divestiture left Dialogic more focused on software and applications rather than an integrated hardware portfolio. The remaining Dialogic business, referred to as Dialogic Group, was acquired by Enghouse Systems on January 2, 2020. Before that acquisition, Dialogic had operations in more than 25 countries and served communications service providers, enterprises, and developers. Its documented portfolio included media servers, gateways, communications boards, load balancers, softswitches, Diameter signaling controllers, session border controllers, signaling software, fax and Fax over IP products, and bandwidth-optimization services. Publicly available reference material does not establish a distinct post-acquisition operating status or a separate current corporate structure for the Dialogic Group brand.

Dialogic was established in 1983 in Parsippany, New Jersey, by Nicholas Zwick, James Shinn, and Kenneth Burkhardt. Zwick and Shinn had previously worked for Advanced Micro Devices, while Burkhardt had worked for Unisys. The company developed communications technologies for telecommunications and enterprise applications, building a business around media processing, signaling, boards, gateways, and related infrastructure. The company’s first major ownership transition occurred in 1999, when Intel acquired Dialogic for $780 million during the dot-com era. Intel incorporated the business into its Media & Signaling Division. In October 2006, Eicon acquired that division from Intel. Following the transaction, the business adopted the Dialogic name again and resumed operating as an independent communications technology company. After its separation from Intel, Dialogic expanded its capabilities through a series of acquisitions and combinations. NMS Communications became part of the company, and Dialogic also incorporated Cantata. Cantata had itself brought together several communications businesses, including Brooktrout and Excel Switching. These transactions broadened Dialogic’s portfolio across media processing, signaling, switching, and application technologies. In May 2010, Dialogic announced a merger with Veraz Networks, a San Jose company associated with softswitch and compression technology. The combined organization retained the Dialogic name. In 2010, the company also moved its headquarters to Milpitas, California. Its business addressed communications service providers, enterprises, and developers through a mix of network equipment, embedded technologies, software, and services. Novacap TMT IV acquired Dialogic on November 24, 2014. After the change in ownership, the headquarters moved back to Parsippany, New Jersey. Dialogic continued to develop its software and application capabilities. On February 9, 2016, it completed the acquisition of Apex Communications, a supplier of real-time communications applications for service-provider and enterprise networks. Dialogic used the acquisition to establish an application-development practice covering networked, premises-based, and cloud-based applications. The resulting application scope included WebRTC, unified communications, interactive voice response, on-demand voicemail, and cloud-based PBX products. The company later reduced its exposure to communications hardware. On January 9, 2018, Sangoma Technologies acquired the key assets of Dialogic’s Converged Communication Division. The transaction involved the division’s hardware business and left Dialogic positioned as a more software-centric organization. Its remaining portfolio continued to include media and signaling software, communications applications, session border controllers, softswitches, Diameter signaling controllers, fax and Fax over IP technologies, and bandwidth-optimization services. Enghouse Systems, based in Markham, Ontario, acquired the remaining company under the Dialogic Group name on January 2, 2020. Before that acquisition, Dialogic had operations in more than 25 countries. The available reference material does not provide enough information to determine the exact current status, organizational structure, executive team, or independent product branding of Dialogic Group after its integration into Enghouse Systems.

1. 2020Enghouse acquisition

   Enghouse Systems acquired the remaining Dialogic Group business on January 2.

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2. 2018Converged Communication Division divestiture

   Sangoma acquired key assets of Dialogic’s Converged Communication Division, including the hardware business.

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3. 2016Apex Communications acquisition

   Dialogic completed the acquisition of Apex Communications and expanded its application-development practice.

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4. 2014Novacap acquisition

   Novacap TMT IV acquired Dialogic on November 24.

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5. 2010Veraz merger and headquarters relocation

   Dialogic announced a merger with Veraz Networks and moved its headquarters to Milpitas, California.

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6. 2006Eicon purchase and return of the Dialogic name

   Eicon acquired Intel’s Media & Signaling Division and subsequently changed the business name back to Dialogic.

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7. 1999Acquisition by Intel

   Intel acquired Dialogic and operated it as the Media & Signaling Division.

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8. 1983Dialogic founded in New Jersey

   Nicholas Zwick, James Shinn, and Kenneth Burkhardt founded Dialogic in Parsippany, New Jersey.

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A communications technology provider focused on real-time media, signaling, network infrastructure, and software applications for service providers, enterprises, and developers.

• Media servers and gatewaysReal-time communications infrastructure

  Dialogic’s media servers and gateways supported the processing and interconnection of real-time communications traffic. They formed part of the company’s infrastructure portfolio for communications service providers and enterprise networks, connecting media functions with broader signaling and application environments.

• Softswitches and signaling platformsTelecommunications software

  The company supplied softswitches, signaling stacks, Diameter signaling controllers, and related software for carrier and enterprise communications networks. These technologies were intended to manage signaling, routing, interoperability, and service-control functions in increasingly software-defined telecom environments.

• Session border controllersNetwork security and session management

  Dialogic’s session border controller offerings addressed the control and management of communications sessions across network boundaries. They belonged to the company’s broader infrastructure portfolio serving service providers and enterprises deploying IP-based real-time communications.

• Communications applicationsCommunications software2016

  Following the Apex Communications acquisition, Dialogic emphasized applications for networked, premises-based, and cloud environments. The documented range included WebRTC, unified communications, interactive voice response, on-demand voicemail, and cloud-based PBX applications for service providers and enterprise customers.

• Fax and Fax over IP technologiesEnterprise communications

  Dialogic supplied fax boards and Fax over IP software as part of its communications media portfolio. These products addressed the transport and processing of fax traffic over conventional and IP-based communications environments.

• Bandwidth optimization servicesNetwork optimization

  Bandwidth-optimization services formed part of Dialogic’s network infrastructure and software offering. They were aimed at improving the efficiency of communications traffic and supporting service-provider and enterprise network operations.

• 2018Shift toward a software-centric businessStrategy

  Dialogic’s portfolio included both communications hardware and software, but the company’s Converged Communication Division represented a significant hardware component.

  What changed. The key assets of the Converged Communication Division were sold to Sangoma Technologies on January 9, 2018.

  Aftermath. The divestiture made Dialogic more software-focused, with emphasis on applications, signaling, media software, and related communications technologies.

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• 2016Expansion into communications applicationsM&A

  Dialogic sought to expand beyond network infrastructure into applications for service providers and enterprise networks.

  What changed. The company completed its acquisition of Apex Communications on February 9, 2016, and launched an application-development practice.

  Aftermath. The expanded application line covered WebRTC, unified communications, interactive voice response, on-demand voicemail, and cloud-based PBX applications.

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• 2020Enghouse Systems acquired Dialogic Group

  Enghouse Systems acquired the remaining Dialogic Group business on January 2, 2020.

  M&A
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• 2018Sangoma acquired key assets of Dialogic’s Converged Communication Division

  Sangoma Technologies acquired the key assets of Dialogic’s Converged Communication Division, including its hardware business, making Dialogic more software-focused.

  M&A
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• 2016Dialogic completed the acquisition of Apex Communications

  Dialogic completed its acquisition of Apex Communications on February 9, 2016, adding communications applications and application-development capabilities for service providers and enterprise networks.

  M&AProduct launch
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• 2014Novacap acquired Dialogic

  Novacap TMT IV, a Canadian private-equity fund, acquired Dialogic on November 24, 2014.

  M&A
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• 2010Dialogic announced a merger with Veraz Networks

  Dialogic announced a merger with Veraz Networks, combining Dialogic’s communications portfolio with Veraz’s softswitch and compression capabilities.

  M&A
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• 2006Eicon acquired Intel’s Media & Signaling Division and restored the Dialogic name

  Eicon purchased Intel’s Media & Signaling Division in October 2006, after which the business returned to the Dialogic identity.

  M&ALeadership change
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• 1999Intel acquired Dialogic for integration into its Media & Signaling Division

  Intel acquired Dialogic during the late-1990s technology boom and operated the business as its Media & Signaling Division.

  M&A
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1. Dialogic Group