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Wireless Infrastructure

Airgo(ne) to Qualcomm: Page 2 of 2

Qualcomm's acquisition of Airgo Networks may seem a bit odd, but an examination of Airgo's technology and how it intersects with Qualcomm's products lines and existing and developing standards suggest a well-planned strategy and execution.
December 15, 2006

The acquisition of Airgo gives Qualcomm a lead into the consumer Wi-Fi market
and enhances its Snapdragon platform, which is targeted for mobile products,
such as smartphones. Besides a processor and DSP (digital signal processor),
the Snapdragon platform will also offer options for several 3G and higher
technologies, as well as Wi-Fi and Bluetooth.

Several press accounts have noted Airgo CEO Greg Raleigh's excitement in adding
WWAN technologies such as WiMAX and 3G to mobile form factors such as laptops
and smartphones. This isn't just post-acquisition rhetoric: Airgo has championed
mobile devices support before in relation to the IEEE 802.11n draft process. Some
of the 11n proposals didn't provide adequate support or consideration for mobile
devices and Airgo publicly emphasized its importance. Airgo's technology might
find a natural fit within Qualcomm's mobile device framework.

Even if the pessimism expressed by prognosticators concerning Qualcomm's future
in CDMA holds true, its acquisition of Airgo solidifies the company's abilities
to deliver MIMO-enabled products among several wireless platforms. Airgo maybe
airgone, but its technology will live on.

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