In its third major acquisition over the past two months that target mobile technology, IBM (NYSE: IBM) says it is buying Pennsylvania-based Fiberlink Communications. The firm focuses on “bring your own device,” or BYOD, technology.

The deal was announced early Wednesday.

Financial terms were not disclosed.

BYOD is a growing trend in businesses in which employees are allowed to utilize their own equipment to access corporate resources.

In its own recently published study, IBM says more companies are embracing BYOD plans as a means of improving worker productivity.

Fiberlink’s lead product, known as MaaS360, is used for mobility management by customers around the world. The company’s headquarters are located in Blue Bell, Pa.

The latest move in the mobile space follows IBM’s recent acquisitions of The Now Factory, which is focused on mobile analytics, and mobile messaging firm Xtify.

IBM will face competition in the mobile app device management space from a number of different companies large and small, such as SAP, Citrix (which has a large operation in Raleigh), BlackBerry, Good Technology and AirWatch, notes financial news website Seeking Alpha. It describes the space as “highly competitive.”

The Fiberlink acquisition will bolster IBM’s own “MobileFirst” product line, says Robert LeBlanc, senior vice president for Middleware Software.

“In a mobile first world, clients require a comprehensive mobile management and security offering,” LeBlance said in announcing the deal. “Often times they integrate solutions on their own and take on unnecessary risk.

“To protect and enhance the complete mobile experience, it’s crucial to secure the app, user, content, data and the transaction. The acquisition of Fiberlink will enable us to offer these expanded capabilities to our clients, making it simple and quick to unlock the full potential of mobility.”

Fiberlink says customers can deploy its solutions in “less than five minutes with self service.”

“While the proliferation of mobile devices provides great flexibility and agility for organizations, it also increases the complexity to manage and protect corporate data,” said Jim Sheward, CEO of Fiberlink. “We are looking forward to becoming part of IBM’s strategy to put mobile first and deliver holistic mobile device and app management and security for today’s always-connected workforce.” 

IBM employs some 10,000 people across North Carolina.

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