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July 20, 2007
Google Invests In UK Femtocell Startup Ubiquisys
We have been following Swindon-based Ubiquisys since May of last year and in fact reported on a rumor that Cisco was mulling an investment. It turns out Google has picked up the tab. Ubiquisys is developing intelligent 3G femtocell access points for the residential market. Today it announced that t has secured a 2nd round funding totaling $25M. The startup's first round backers Accel Partners, Atlas Venture and Advent Venture Partners are joined by Google.
Ubiquisys device gives mobile users high-quality mobile coverage in the home using their usual 3G cell phones. It plugs into an existing home broadband gateway or is built into a gateway product that includes WiFi, DSL, Ethernet, phone ports and USB.
For cellcos, and ultimately their subscribers, the company's products solve a problem with 3G phones at home where costs of providing indoor cellular coverage have been prohibitive for cellcos, and the battery power consumption has turned off consumers.
What is more, it will enable VOIP services from cellcos.The idea is that cellcos will better be able to compete with the emerging WiFi and wireless VOIP innovations emerging on the market if they have such systems to sell.
It sounds like a good idea since 3G is being deployed in many large sized markets and cellcos need something to fight off the growing number of startups in the Wifi/VOIP area.
In June, the company announced it was working with Netgear on collaboration to deliver a residential gateway with integrated DSL modem, Wi-Fi, VoIP and 3G femtocell technology under the Netgear brand. It also has partnerships with Sony (for the design and manufacturing of the basestations), and Netopia for product-enhancing software, along with a few others such deals that will make the gear easier to install and compatible with several telco standards.
There is another startup we've covered that has similar gear, 4G Systems over in Germany, which was founded back in 2002 and has some early stage financing behind it too, although its core features concentrate more on cellular data services, as we understand it.
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Posted on July 20, 2007 03:17 PM | Posted to Wireless | Permalink
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