Tangoe Buys Fellow TEM Provider Anomalous

Tangoe Inc., a telecom expense and lifecycle management provider, said this week it has purchased Anomalous Networks, a rival TEM software developer.

Because Anomalous is privately held, terms of the deal were not disclosed. Tangoe did say on Tuesday the acquisition shouldn’t materially impact its revenue or profitability for 2012. The Connecticut-based company’s shares were trading 5 cents higher, reaching $15.01, at 9:45 a.m. Eastern.

Tangoe bought Anomalous for its complementary platforms, which include capabilities for predictive cost intelligence, bill-shock prevention, user alert acknowledgement tracking and usage anomaly detection. Anomalous products work with smartphones, tablets, personal computers and modem-enabled devices. Tangoe expects to combine its software with that created by Anomalous to enable more real-time usage visibility and control.

Tangoe targets large enterprises; it distributes through a select number of agents, systems integrators and other indirect channel partners.

The TEM field is one that stirs some mixed feelings within the indirect channel. Some partners see TEM as outdated — instead preferring a communications lifecycle approach — or even cannibalistic. After all, the more network services a customer uses, the more commission a partner earns. But agents, VARs and others who care about helping their clients save money should incorporate TEM into their business models, analyst Joe Basili wrote in an article for Channel Partners last year. Meantime, other partners see TEM as a value-added service they provide to create customer loyalty. Still others aren’t sure of TEM’s usefulness at all, as wireless and IP services, rather than wireline, dominate the landscape. And giant TEM software providers continue to ask for too much from partners for too little in return, many partners have said.