Cisco to Buy Starent: It’s All About Femtocells

Entities Mentioned

• AT&T
• Cisco

1. 

   By Josh Adelson

   Well, it’s not all about femtocells, but it’s not unrelated to femtocells either.

   Tuesday, networking giant Cisco Systems announced they will acquire mobile infrastructure vendor Starent Networks for $2.9 billion in cash.  Starent makes networking devices that sit between mobile radio access networks (RANs) and mobile operator’s core networks.  These devices handle the ever-increasing mobile data traffic generated by smartphones and 3G-connected laptops.  Starent’s products were originally designed to connect to macro (that is, outdoor, cell-tower) RANs.  But more recently they have been evolving their product line to support femtocell connections to the core network.  Femtocells need to connect into the mobile operator’s network through a gateway-type device that routes traffic and provides security and mobility for the sessions.  Sometimes this is generically called a Femto Network Gateway, or FNG.  Starent has been one of a small number of companies developing this capability.

   Meanwhile, Cisco has become heavily involved in the femtocell market as well.  Most notably their logo appears on the 3G MicroCell that AT&T just launched.   Having Starent in their stable means they will be able to offer more parts of a femtocell solution.

   Of course, it’s more about mobile broadband than it is about femtocells per se.  Cisco’s announcement states that “Mobile Internet is at an inflection point as IP-enabled Smartphones and other connected mobile devices gain rapid acceptance”.  But as these smartphones and their demands on networks grow, femtocells are surely one of the most obvious ways for operators to respond.
   

   Bookmark or Share this article

   
   

   Related Articles

   • Welcome To The Femto Hub!
   • also written by Josh Adelson (jadelson)
   • Airvana, Industry Hit The Road
   • also written by Josh Adelson (jadelson)
   • Happy Holidays From The Femto Hub
   • also written by Josh Adelson (jadelson)
   • Femtocells and Today’s Economy
   • also written by Josh Adelson (jadelson)
   • Manager of Network - Regional Manager, Regulatory Engineering - At&t Wireless - Alpharetta, GA
   • also mentions AT&T

   • Mobile World Congress = Femtocell Annual Checkup
   • also written by Josh Adelson (jadelson)
   • News Flash: Femtocells Causing Interference
   • also written by Josh Adelson (jadelson)
   • Making The Case For Femtocells
   • also written by Josh Adelson (jadelson)
   • U.S. Mobile Data Growth Steady Amid Recession
   • also written by Josh Adelson (jadelson)
   • Fmc's Hot Week: DiVitas Client, Agito-Trapeze Interop
   • also mentions Cisco

Recent Comments

Login to comment.