Citrix Systems is to acquire mobile network optimisation player Bytemobile, in a deal it said will give it “a key strategic foothold in the core infrastructure of more than 130 mobile operators in 60 countries around the world.”

The acquirer said the deal “enhances the broader Citrix strategy of powering mobile workstyles and cloud services.”

It will see Bytemobile forming a new service provider platforms team as part of its Cloud Networking product group.

The intention is to “build on Bytemobile as the centre of its go-to-market strategy for mobile network operators – retaining and growing its investment in the Bytemobile brand, technology, products, employees and customer relationships.”

The two companies formed a “strategic partnership” at the GSMA Mobile World Congress earlier this year, stating that they would combine Citrix’s “expertise in mobile computing solutions and flexible application delivery” with Bytemobile’s “traffic management and data optimisation solutions.

In a statement, Klaus Oestermann, group vice president and general manager of cloud networking at Citrix, said: “the benefits to network operators and their subscribers include faster, more efficient, more reliable, and more manageable networks; higher performance resulting in better service and a better user experience; and scalability to process growing volumes of data traffic at a much lower cost."

The combination has been approved by the board of both companies and, subject to approval, is expected to close during the third quarter of 2012. Financial terms of the deal were not disclosed.