ACE*COMM

Founded in 1983 by George T. Jimenez, ACE*COMM operated as a provider of operations support systems (OSS) and service delivery solutions for the telecommunications industry. The company specialized in software and equipment that enabled telecommunications firms, internet service providers, and cellular operators to monitor and manage voice and data traffic on their networks. This technology was crucial for functions such as billing, network management, and security.

An engineer by training, Jimenez founded ACE*COMM after he and a partner sold their previous venture, American Computer & Electronics, in 1983. The company found its niche in the wake of the 1984 telecommunications deregulation, providing essential services to newly formed phone companies. ACE*COMM went public in the summer of 1996, which initially led to a significant increase in revenue and stock value. However, the company faced substantial challenges due to its heavy reliance on the Asian market, which was hit by a financial crisis in 1997, leading to a sharp decline in revenue and a shift from profit to loss.

The company's product suite included advanced OSS solutions applicable to a wide range of networks, including wired, wireless, voice, data, and internet communications. These solutions provided analytical tools to extract data from networks for purposes like revenue assurance, cost reduction, and operational efficiency. One of its notable products was the NetPlus Call Intercept Manager (CIM), a surveillance system for law enforcement and security agencies. Its client roster included major names like AT&T, Cisco, General Dynamics, IBM, and Motorola.

In 2007, the company faced the threat of being delisted from NASDAQ. Ultimately, on September 25, 2008, Ariston Global LLC acquired ACE*COMM for $19.5 million. Following the acquisition, ACE*COMM was merged with TeleSciences, another Ariston Global subsidiary, to form a new entity named Ventraq, combining their expertise in data management, analytics, and revenue management for communication service providers and large enterprises.

Keywords: operations support systems, OSS, telecommunications software, network management, service delivery platform, revenue assurance, network business intelligence, convergent mediation, telecom billing, data traffic management, voice monitoring, Ariston Global, TeleSciences, Ventraq, George T. Jimenez, network security, service fulfillment, legacy network support