Cisco Quits WiMAX

Cisco has finally announced their pull out from the WiMAX business . Hardly surprising, as in the past two yeas, since Navini Networks acquisition, Cisco were not very successful with this new Wireless business.

Not sure if it was because the technology didn’t fit Cisco business, or just failure to execute. But, I can’t remember even one meaningful deployment from Navini (Cisco) .

The reason I am writing this post is to remind everyone that Alvarion was supposedly the first runner for Cisco’s WiMAX ambitions, when in the last minute (well, this is what newspapers preferred to portray), Navini was acquired. I am sure many people in Alvarion are happy today that it turned out this way.

Tags: Cisco

Alvarion Message From the CEO

Alvarion’s CEO, Eran Gorev, publised a message to Alvarion Shareholders.

I feel compelled to share the message as I find it entertaining:

As you know, I assumed the role of President and CEO on December 7, 2009. After working in high tech for many years, I have come to admire Alvarion for both its technology and the business it has developed.

Message starts with “As you know”. Press release was in Sep. 2009 , while he joined as CEO on Dec. 7th. It would have been nice if he could publish this letter closer to the date he joined Alvarion. The second excerpt of the quote above is more interesting since it tries to do two things:

1) Show that Eran Gorev is Experienced (he is)

2) Alvarion has good technology and Business (mostly correct)

But, I just don’t like the way it was phrased. Does it mean that if one does not have the experience Eran has, it is difficult to appreciate Alvarion?

As we enter a new year, I want to take this opportunity to reiterate our commitment to creating long-term value for Alvarion shareholders. We will work with renewed energy to successfully capitalize on the opportunities and meet the challenges, with our dual focus on profitability and growth. We look forward to sharing our progress with you during the year.

No comments on this part. Just I wish he could write more:

• What is the focus for Alvarion for next year?
• What is he going to change?

Anyway, I think the next Earning Conference Call is going to be interesting.

Tags: PR

Alvarion’s BreezeMax Extreme

My initial intention was to praise Alvarion for their BreezeMAX Extreme line, how “D” like basestations and CPE with Mobile WiMAX (”E”) technology makes sense.

But, as I was going through Alvarion website and datasheets, I got irritated by some mis-information and inaccuracies. So, I still think Alvarion are doing a great job with the Exterme line and their License exempt offering, but the following post will focus on the “fails” rather than successes.

Sequans Press Release clearly states:

Sequans provides a comprehensive Mobile WiMAX product line that includes the award-winning SQN2130 base station ASIC and the SQN1130 mobile station system-on-chip, both of which are WiMAX Forum Certified™. Sequans’ solutions feature superior receiver sensitivity along with Sequans’ patent-pending technology, mimoMAX™, which combines a maximum likelihood decoder on the downlink with two transmitters on the uplink.  The latter enables uplink MIMO for greatly improved link budget and cell coverage

Key Points: CPE as well as Base Station, WiMAX Forum Certified, mimoMAX for uplink MiMO

Now, let’s try to find the information on Alvarion website.

CPE – Alvarion’s BreezeMAX Extreme page does not mention a CPE. End User Devices Page does not mention a license exempt CPE.

WiMAX Forum Certified – it is not. A simple search in WiMAX Forum Certified products page shows only BreezeMAX Macro base station. Where is the Extreme?

Uplink MiMo – BreezeMAX Extreme datasheet clearly states that MiMo matrix B is not available yet, not to mention uplink MiMo.

I am sure Alvarion’s (under NDA) customers receive all the information, but why does the website launch/publish only partial information which confuses rather than educate?

(And again, I would like to say that I think the Extreme line will be quite successful as it addresses real customer needs).

Alvaroin Plan Another Lay Off Round

Israeli Media reports another Lay Off raound in Alvarion.

Globes reports this is the 3rd round, following Dec. 08 and April 09.

The Marker (Hebrew) – doesn’t seem to provide more information except a summary of recent Financial report and CEO transition.

Alvarion will report Q3 on Nov.11

Alvarion’s new CEO

Alvarion IR informed today that the board of directors named Eran Gorev (LinkedIn Profile) as the new CEO and president. Eran is currently the Chief Business Officer at NICE systems (another Israeli Company) and will assume day to day responsibility only in December.

I am sure Eran will face many challenges in his new role; I obviously wish him all the best, especially because we both graduated from the same high school (Eran is 6 years my senior).

Tzvika Friedman, the departing CEO, was probably not very effective in Q3, 09 while I doubt Eran Gorev will manage to change anything by end of Q4, 09. I wonder if this lack of leadership will affect the earning reports.

Tags: Eran Gorev

Israeli WiMAX Map

Trying to collect a list of all companies and Start-Ups in Israel developing WiMAX Silicon/Systems as well as in the WiMAX Eco-System.

1. Intel - WiMAX R&D center is in Israel (result of Envara acquisition).
2. Runcom – Develops MS and BS Silicon as  well as Systems.
3. Altair Semiconductor – 4G silicon for LTE, WiMAX and XGP.
4. DesignArt Networks – WiMAX BS Silicon as well as backhaul solution.
5. Alvarion – WiMAX Systems.
6. Airspan - WiMAX Systems – Biggest R&D center is located in Israel.
7. Comsys Mobile – WiMAX, LTE MS Silicon.
8. WiNetworks – WiMAX Systems.
9. Gilat - Resell WiMAX Systems (By Airspan).
10. Ceragon – Mobile backhaul.
11. Redbend – WiMAX device Management.

Tags: Airspan, Altair Semi, Ceragon, DesignArt Networks, Gilat, Intel, Redbend, Runcom, WiNetworks

Alvarion CEO resigned

Tzvika Friedman, Alvarion (Nasdaq: ALVR) announced his resignation on the same day the company announced 2009 Q2 results. Coincidence?

To me, it is very surprising that a CEO and a president steps aside without the board announcing who will replace him. Market reacted to both results and resignation with a 16% plunge in the share price to $3.96, bringing Alvarion Market Capitalization to about $250M.

Israeli financial website Calcalist published their analysis and history of the company.  Main highlights:

1. 9 years after NASDAQ IPO Alvarion fails to become profitable
2. Failed Interwave acquisition for $56M, later sold, which resulted in a major loss.
3. Cisco preferred to buy Navini Networks over Alvarion. (My comment: Not sure how successful was the Navini acquisition)
4. $0 Dividends
5. -89% Share price
6. Since IPO, Accumulated loss of $183M

I think Alvarion has the right products for their market, but will they ever become profitable?

Marketing Proof Reading

It surprises how sometimes Marketing Material with spelling or in this case proof reading mistakes reach my Inbox.

I’d recommend every Marketing executive to send/publish the information internally before pressing the button that will send the email to investors, analysts … etc.

In our Case, Alvarion invented a new Technology called WiMAXT:

Tags: Marketing

Alvarion WiMAX twitter is no Longer Active

Previously reported on Alvarion WiMAX Twitter account, which now appears to be inactive.

Last tweet was in April 9th:

@telesemana just posted our interview from #CTIA watch it here: http://cli.gs/qh6Bm2 #wimax

That’s it. No goodbye, no “Stay Tuned”.

Tags: twitter

Alvarion’s 3.5GHz WiMAX Forum Certification

Following up on a previous post, Alvarion Claims 3.5GHz WiMAX Forum Certification:

WiMAX Forum Certification website now features the BreezeMax 3.5GHz (3.4-3.6 10MHz TDD) base station dated Feb. 18th 2009 (while my blog post was on the 17th).

Tags: WiMAX Forum