US chipmaker Qualcomm, the owner of the Meiaflo alternative mobile TV platform, has joined Cisco Systems, Intel and Motorola by taking a stake in Ip.access, a UK-based pioneer of femtocells. Femtocells are routers that connect directly to 3G mobile phones. Ip.access, which is based in Cambridge, is developing the technology to allow operators to create 3G “hotspots” in their customers' homes.

Many mobiles contain 3G radio and WiFi, so femtocells can allow operators to improve indoor coverage and redirect traffic from their own networks to customers' fixed-line broadband connections. Ip.access did not reveal the size of Qualcomm's “strategic investment”.

Before full deployment, operators must ensure that the devices do not interfere with wider 3G networks, as well as being easy for customers to set up and for carriers to manage remotely.

Other posts by :

1. Rakuten makes historic satellite video call
2. Rocket Lab confirms D2C ambitions
3. Turkey establishes satellite production ecosystem
4. Italy joins Germany in IRIS2 alternate thoughts
5. Kazakhstan to create museum at Yuri Gagarin launch site
6. AST SpaceMobile gets $42 or $1500 price target
7. Analyst: GEO bloodbath taking place
8. SES AGM results: Appaloosa still objecting
9. SpaceX’s Shotwell worth $1.2bn

Categories: Articles