NEC Corp. has bought unified communications provider Sphere Communications Inc. for $42 million.

NEC has its own unified communications division but wanted Sphere for its promising growth and its technology for building new service-oriented software the next evolution in unified communications.

Sphere will keep its headquarters in Lincolnshire, Ill. It will be part of NECs Enterprise Solutions Business Unit. Graeme Robinson will serve as president and CEO.

NEC is based in Tokyo.

Sphere provides services such as IP call recording. The company was unable to provide details on any changes to its channel program. More information on that front will be available as NEC and Sphere integrate operations over the next few weeks.

NEC Corp. www.nec.com
Sphere Communications www.spherecom.com