iPass to Acquire GoRemote
December 12 2005 - 8:00AM
PR Newswire (US)
Completes Suite of Broadband Services for Enterprises REDWOOD
SHORES, Calif. and MILPITAS, Calif., Dec. 12 /PRNewswire-
FirstCall/ -- iPass Inc. (NASDAQ:IPAS), and GoRemote Internet
Communications, Inc. (NASDAQ:GRIC), leading providers of enterprise
broadband services, today announced an agreement for iPass to
acquire GoRemote in an all-cash transaction valued at approximately
$76.5 million. While iPass primarily serves roaming mobile users
such as salespeople and business travelers, GoRemote is a leader in
the major market segments of remote workers that iPass does not
already serve directly -- teleworkers and employees in home
offices, branch offices and retail locations to which GoRemote
primarily provides managed broadband services. GoRemote's worldwide
enterprise customer base, which includes Forbes Global 2000
companies such as Novartis, Merrill Lynch, Schering-Plough and
Bridgestone-Firestone, complements iPass' existing roster of
enterprise customers, which includes 276 of the Forbes Global 2000.
This combination will extend iPass' reach across all the major
segments of the global enterprise market for secure Internet
connections for traveling and remote employees. "Enterprise
customers increasingly have been demanding a single source of
secure broadband for all their mobile and remote employees
worldwide. As a result of this acquisition, iPass will have the
answer with a complete suite of broadband services," said Ken
Denman, Chairman and CEO of iPass. "The acquisition will position
iPass as a leader in the large and rapidly-growing markets for
telecommuter and remote office broadband segments as they
transition to Internet- based solutions. Further, we expect to
realize immediate and significant cost savings as well as
operational and technological synergies." "The acquisition will
enable the combined company to accelerate GoRemote's current plans
to penetrate new market segments by providing secure managed
broadband services for retail locations and branch offices," said
Tom Thimot, GoRemote's President and CEO. "The combination of iPass
and GoRemote also creates an attractive opportunity to cross-sell
iPass' endpoint security and systems management services into
GoRemote's installed customer base." Mr. Thimot added, "GoRemote's
technology will position iPass to better serve home and branch
offices that are expected to utilize emerging wireless broadband
and mesh networks in the future." Integration The management teams
are developing an integration plan that will be designed to take
advantage of the companies' many similarities, including similar
virtual network models, compatible technology platforms and
information systems. iPass has successfully integrated two other
acquisitions in the past 12 months, Mobile Automation and Safe3w.
Several key members of the team responsible for GoRemote's
repositioning in the last 18 months will continue with iPass,
including Mr. Thimot, who will lead the iPass sales team as the
Senior Vice President of Worldwide Sales. "Enterprises have been
making it clear to us that they want financially strong partners
with a broader suite of services than we can offer as a standalone
company. The combined company will be able to offer enterprise
customers a seamless 'best of breed' software platform supported by
iPass' strong balance sheet, technology and brand," said Mr.
Thimot. "Adapting that model to our business can create a winning
situation. Our team is proud of successfully transforming GoRemote
into a leader in managed virtual broadband services." "As broadband
access to the Internet becomes more secure, reliable and
affordable, enterprises are shifting from private networks to
Internet-based communications and demanding that all of their
remote and mobile Internet access be unified into a convenient and
universal service," added Mr. Denman. "This acquisition will
position iPass to deliver this value to the enterprise market." In
October 2005, IDC estimated that the mobile workforce will increase
from 650 million worldwide in 2004 to more than 850 million over
the next five years, and that mobile workers will represent more
than one quarter of the global workforce by 2009. Cost Savings
iPass anticipates achieving significant cost savings and cash flow
improvements in GoRemote's operations. iPass also intends to
benefit from GoRemote's investment in engineering and operations in
Bangalore, India. In addition to eliminating redundant positions,
iPass plans to convert GoRemote to its lower-cost infrastructure,
systems, architecture and processes. iPass expects the transaction
to be accretive to Non-GAAP earnings per share beginning in the
first full quarter following the closing of the transaction.
Acquisition Details Under the terms of the definitive agreement,
which was approved by both companies' boards of directors, at the
closing of the transaction iPass will pay $1.71 per share in cash
for each share of common stock outstanding and $3.37 per share in
cash for each share of Series A Preferred Stock outstanding for a
total cash consideration of approximately $76.5 million. iPass'
offer of $1.71 per share of common stock outstanding represents a
premium of 23% for GoRemote's common stockholders, based on the
market closing price of $1.39 on December 9, 2005. The closing of
the acquisition is subject to the approval of GoRemote's
stockholders, regulatory approvals and other closing conditions
specified in the merger agreement. Assuming those conditions are
satisfied, iPass expects the acquisition to be consummated by the
end of the first calendar quarter in 2006. Certain directors,
officers and stockholders of GoRemote who own in the aggregate
approximately 17.6% of GoRemote's outstanding shares have agreed to
vote in favor of the transaction. Credit Suisse First Boston LLC
acted as financial advisor to iPass, and Cooley Godward LLP
provided legal counsel. Jefferies Broadview, a division of
Jefferies & Company, Inc., acted as GoRemote's financial
advisor, with Fenwick and West, LLP as legal counsel. Conference
Call iPass will host a public conference call to discuss the
transaction today at 7:30 a.m. PST. The call will be webcast on
iPass' web site at http://investor.ipass.com/ and on GoRemote's web
site at http://www.goremote.com/company/investorwebcasts.php . A
taped replay will also be available for two weeks following the
date of the call. The dial-in numbers for the replay are
1-888-286-8010 (U.S. and Canada) and 1-617-801-6888
(international). The ID number for the replay call is 85455280.
About iPass iPass Inc. delivers simple and manageable enterprise
mobility services that help maximize the productivity of workers as
they move between office, home and remote locations. iPass security
services -- based on unique Policy Orchestration capabilities --
work to close the gaps in protecting computers, network assets,
user identities and data whenever users connect over the Internet.
iPass connectivity services utilize the iPass global virtual
network, a unified network of hundreds of dial-up, wireless and
broadband providers in over 160 countries. iPass services are the
choice of hundreds of Global 2000 corporations including Ford Motor
Company, H. J. Heinz Company and Mellon Financial. Founded in 1996,
iPass is headquartered in Redwood Shores, Calif., with offices
throughout North America, Europe and Asia Pacific. NOTE: iPass(R)
is a registered trademark of iPass Inc. About GoRemote GoRemote
Internet Communications, Inc. is a leading provider of secure
managed virtual business network services, enabling customers to
achieve best-of-breed network security and to increase critical
business application performance, while reducing capital and
operating expenses associated with their network. GoRemote provides
a comprehensive portfolio of secure managed broadband network
solutions for retail and branch office environments,
teleworkers/home offices and mobile workforces. More information
about GoRemote is available at http://www.goremote.com/ or by
calling +1-408-955-1920. The statements in this news release,
including those made by Ken Denman and Tom Thimot, that are not
historical facts are forward-looking statements within the meaning
of the Federal securities laws, and may involve a number of risks
and uncertainties. Such forward-looking statements include, but are
not limited to, iPass' ability to establish leadership in the
market segments for telecommuter and remote office connectivity,
GoRemote's ability to accelerate its plans to penetrate the managed
broadband connectivity market segment, GoRemote's ability to better
serve home and branch offices, the companies' ability to offer
enterprise customers a seamless software platform supported by
iPass, the effect on non-GAAP earnings following the closing of the
transaction, the satisfaction or waiver of all closing conditions
and the completion of the transaction by the end of the first
quarter in 2006, the perceived benefits of the acquisition, the
ability to diversify iPass' business, the expectations about the
timing and receipt of regulatory and shareholder approvals,
statements regarding plans, objectives and expectations with
respect to future operations, products and services and future
performance for iPass. Risks and uncertainties include, but are not
limited to: those found in documents filed by iPass and GoRemote,
respectively, with the Securities and Exchange Commission; the
ability to implement certain growth or diversification strategies;
the companies' ability to consummate the transaction; the ability
to obtain the expected operating efficiencies through the
acquisition within the expected time frame and to integrate
successfully into its operations; risks that such integration may
be more difficult or costly than expected; revenue following the
transaction and other actual results associated with the
acquisition of GoRemote that could differ from the perceived
benefits; customer loss and business disruption may be greater than
expected in the transaction; GoRemote may not be able to retain key
employees and required regulatory approvals for the transaction may
not be obtained on a timely basis or may be subject to certain
conditions. Additional Information About the Proposed Transaction
and Where You Can Find It In connection with the proposed
transaction, GoRemote intends to file a proxy statement and other
relevant materials with the Securities and Exchange Commission
("SEC"). BEFORE MAKING ANY VOTING DECISION WITH RESPECT TO THE
PROPOSED TRANSACTION, STOCKHOLDERS OF GOREMOTE ARE URGED TO READ
THE PROXY STATEMENT AND OTHER RELEVANT MATERIALS BECAUSE THEY WILL
CONTAIN IMPORTANT INFORMATION ABOUT THE PROPOSED TRANSACTION. The
proxy statement and other relevant materials, and any other
documents filed by GoRemote with the SEC, may be obtained free of
charge at the SEC's website at http://www.sec.gov/ and at
http://www.goremote.com/. In addition, stockholders of GoRemote may
obtain free copies of the documents filed with the SEC by
contacting GoRemote Investor Relations at 408-965-1377 or by mail
to GoRemote Internet Communications, Inc., 1421 McCarthy Blvd.,
Milpitas, CA 95035. You may also read and copy any reports,
statements and other information filed by GoRemote with the SEC at
the SEC public reference room at 450 Fifth Street, N.W. Room 1200,
Washington, D.C. 20549. Please call the SEC at 1-800-SEC-0330 or
visit the SEC's website for further information on its public
reference room. iPass and GoRemote and their respective officers
and directors may be deemed to be participants in the solicitation
of proxies from stockholders of GoRemote with respect to the
transactions contemplated by the merger agreement between iPass and
GoRemote. Information regarding the companies' officers and
directors is included in their respective Definitive Proxy
Statements for their 2004 Annual Meetings of Stockholders filed
with the Securities and Exchange Commission by iPass in April 2005
and by GoRemote in January 2005. These documents are available free
of charge at the Securities and Exchange Commission web site at
http://www.sec.gov/, from iPass at ipass.com and from GoRemote at
GoRemote.com. iPass iPass Investor Relations Media Relations Tim
Shanahan John Sidline 650-232-4260 650-232-4112 GoRemote GoRemote
Investor Relations Media Relations John Riley Steven d'Alencon
408-965-1377 408-965-1157 DATASOURCE: iPass Inc. CONTACT: media,
John Sidline, +1-650-232-4112, or , or investors, Tim Shanahan,
+1-650-232-4260, or , both of iPass; or investors, John Riley,
+1-408-965-1377, or , or media, Steven d'Alencon, +1-408-965-1157,
or , both of GoRemote Web site: http://www.goremote.com/ Web site:
http://www.ipass.com/
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