ACCORDING
TO SOME analysts, the global market of mobile devices capable
of connecting to the Internet-including handheld computers,
microbrowser phones, smartphones, and next-generation multimedia
phones-is set to grow from $10 billion last year to $73
billion by 2005.
If
that explosion of wireless data takes place, existing
providers like Verizon and Sprint will need to upgrade
their existing infrastructures.
Chelmsford
based WaterCove Networks, backed with $50 million in venture
financing from top shelf firms like Charles River and
Bessemer, is gearing up to sell next-generation switches
to the wireless providers to help transport that data,
as well as expand their service offerings.
Founded
by four engineers with heavy hitting degrees and decades
of combined experience, WaterCove is headed by Peter Lojko,
an industry veteran who was a Vice President at Excel
Switching prior to its purchase by Lucent.
The
switches WaterCove develops are deployed in central control
stations of wireless networks. Verizon, as an example,
has about half-a-dozen mobile switching centers from Worcester
to Boston handling traffic in Eastern Massachusetts.
In
order to thoroughly implement WaterCove's solution throughout
their network, a large carrier would need to buy thousands
of switches.
WaterCove
is expecting that its switch, due to be shipped in Q1
of 2002, will entice carriers because of its expanded
functionality. The company's switch will allow carriers
to expand the number of subscribers and improve the network
bandwidth.
Furthermore,
the WaterCove switch will give mobile carriers the opportunity
to develop additional services such as partnering with
content providers, or give corporations the capacity to
provide employees access to Virtual Private Network data.
