Broadview Networks has signed an agreement to acquire select assets of Natural Convergence Inc. of Ottawa, Canada. NCI is an award-winning provider of hosted VoIP applications targeted at the small- and medium-sized business market.

With the purchase, Broadview Networks will acquire the intellectual property, previously purchased under a license agreement, including the source code, of NCI’s premier application Silhouette. Silhouette is the enabling technology behind Broadview’s industry-leading hosted IP phone solution, OfficeSuite.

NCI’s Silhouette allows service providers to offer customers a hosted IP phone solution that is an attractive alternative to premise-based voice systems. Since 2004, Broadview and NCI have worked together to develop features and applications tailored to small and medium sized businesses.

Broadview is acquiring NCI’s software, including source and development code, and other related assets. It is also acquiring all hardware, inventory and intellectual property held by NCI, including patents, trademarks and service marks.

Broadview Networks will support the Silhouette platform for its internal needs and will be exploring alternatives for supporting the needs of other Silhouette customers.

Specific terms of the transaction were not disclosed. A timely closing is expected, pending customary documentation and final approvals.