Global networking corporation Cisco has made a strategic investment in SEP portfolio company ip.access, a pioneer in femtocell and picocell technologies which solve signal problems for mobile phone operators.
Stephen Mallinson, Chief Executive Officer of ip.access, said: “We are delighted to have Cisco as an investor. As the worldwide leader in Internet Protocol-based networks, Cisco brings complementary skills and experience to address the needs of operator and consumer customers.”
Cambridge-based ip.access is a leading manufacturer of picocell and femtocell infrastructure solutions (small mobile base stations for use in homes or business premises) which solve in-building access problems for mobile operators.
Its award-winning Oyster 3G™ femtocell product dramatically increases 3G cell capacity and coverage in the home via a low-power wireless access point which plugs into a residential broadband link, delivering a 3G mobile phone signal indoors. It is currently being trialled globally by major mobile network operators.
Its nanoGSM™ product, which is used in various commercial locations including offices and shops, is the world’s most deployed picocell solution for cellular networks. Its products are used in more than 30 live networks around the world.
Details of Cisco’s strategic stake in ip.access remain confidential but it underlines increasing global interest in the company by technology leaders. SEP, which first invested in ip.access in 2006, has participated in subsequent venture funding rounds alongside co-investors Amadeus Capital Partners, Intel Capital Corp and Rothschild.
