RICHARDSON, Texas-Airwalk Communications announced it has received $8 million in funding from venture partners TL Ventures and the Korean Global IT Fund (KGIF), allowing it to launch its Radio Access Network solution for in-building and campus-wide wireless coverage.
Airwalk’s core technology consists of a base station that includes an integrated base station controller. The product enables a wireless signal inside the building’s microsystem and allows for seamless handoff from the outdoor macrosystem.
The integrated solution, roughly the size of a briefcase, lowers the cost of design and implementation of an in-building system, according to Serge Pequeux, chief executive officer of Airwalk. It costs about 40 percent of what existing in-building products cost, said Pequeux.
Airwalk is targeting high-rise buildings, residential apartments and campus areas, and it is currently delivering its product in Korea and Japan. The company views major vendors, including Motorola, Ericsson, Samsung, Lucent and Nortel, as its biggest competition, but believes its product’s small size and low cost make it unique enough that one day those competitors might license the Airwalk product. “I think size and price are key factors for everyone today,” said Pequeux.
