GN Great Nordic of Copenhagen, Denmark, has announced plans to acquire the French fiber optic test firm Photonetics and to merge it into its GN Nettest subsidiary.

Although GN Nettest has offered test equipment for communications, the addition of Photonetics' dense wavelength division multiplexing equipment significantly expands the firm's optical test offerings.

GN Great Nordic also announced plans to take GN Nettest public through an initial public offering in the first quarter of 2001. The company said it believes that the Photonetics acquisition, plus the potential for offering stock options, will help it to attract and retain the best employees, especially in North America.