Starent Networks

Starent Networks was an American information-technology and computer-networking products company focused on infrastructure for mobile telecommunications operators. Its products occupied an important position between a cellular radio access network and an operator's IP network, functioning as gateways through which carriers could manage data, multimedia traffic, subscriber access, and service policies. The company's technology was designed for the growing transition from traditional mobile voice and messaging toward packet-based services. Mobile operators used infrastructure of this type to support services including video, Internet access, voice over IP, e-mail, mobile television, photo sharing, and online gaming. Rather than being a consumer-facing handset or application brand, Starent supplied the underlying carrier equipment that helped operators control how high-bandwidth and low-latency applications were delivered to subscribers. Its gateway systems also supported operational functions such as access control, transaction accounting, and more detailed management of the end-user experience. These capabilities were relevant as mobile networks handled increasing volumes of data and as operators sought to offer differentiated services over packet-based networks. Starent therefore operated in the carrier networking and mobile packet-core infrastructure segment, serving telecommunications companies rather than retail customers. The company was headquartered in Tewksbury, Massachusetts, and maintained major engineering facilities in Pune and Bangalore, India. Its international engineering footprint reflected the technical and global nature of the mobile-networking market, although the available reference material does not identify specific customer contracts, product model names, founders, or senior executives. In October 2009, Cisco announced an agreement to acquire Starent Networks for approximately US$2.9 billion. The transaction was intended to strengthen Cisco's position in mobile networking and in the infrastructure required for operators to deliver data-rich services. Cisco completed the acquisition on December 18, 2009. Following completion, Starent ceased to operate as an independent company, and the Starent brand became part of Cisco's broader networking portfolio. Because the company was acquired and no longer exists as a standalone business, its current status is defunct.

Starent Networks was established as a specialist networking company serving mobile telecommunications operators. The available reference material does not specify its founding date or founders, but it identifies the company as an American information-technology and computer-networking products business headquartered in Tewksbury, Massachusetts. It also maintained major engineering operations in Pune and Bangalore, India. Starent's business addressed the infrastructure layer of mobile communications. Its systems connected the radio access network, which communicates with mobile devices, to an operator's IP network. This gateway role allowed carriers to move and manage subscriber traffic as mobile services became increasingly dependent on packet-based communications. The company was not primarily a consumer brand; its customers and users were telecommunications operators that needed carrier-grade equipment for data and multimedia delivery. The services supported by Starent's infrastructure included mobile Internet access, video, voice over IP, e-mail, mobile television, photo sharing, and gaming. The systems also gave service providers tools for access control, transaction accounting, and management of the end-user experience for applications requiring substantial bandwidth or low latency. These functions were significant during the expansion of mobile broadband, when operators were moving beyond conventional voice and text services and managing a more varied mix of IP traffic. Starent's engineering presence in both the United States and India supported its role in a technically demanding and internationally oriented industry. However, the available sources do not provide enough information to document specific product names, customer deployments, annual financial results, or the identities of the company's executives. On October 13, 2009, Cisco announced that it intended to purchase Starent Networks for approximately US$2.9 billion. The transaction reflected Cisco's interest in expanding its position in mobile infrastructure and in helping carriers manage the growth of mobile data and multimedia services. Cisco completed the acquisition on December 18, 2009. After the transaction, Starent no longer operated as an independent company and its business was absorbed into Cisco. The acquisition marks the principal documented turning point in the company's history and explains its current defunct status.

• 2009

  Cisco announces acquisition plan

  [1]Starent Networksen.wikipedia.org

  On October 13, Cisco announced a plan to acquire Starent Networks for approximately US$2.9 billion.

• 2009

  Acquisition completed

  [1]Starent Networksen.wikipedia.org

  Cisco completed the acquisition of Starent Networks on December 18, ending the company's independent corporate existence.

A specialist supplier of carrier-grade mobile networking infrastructure, positioned behind the scenes as an enabler of packet-based data, voice, video, and other multimedia services for telecommunications operators.

• Telecommunications networking equipment

  Mobile gateway infrastructure

  Starent supplied gateway systems that connected mobile radio access networks to IP networks. These platforms helped operators route and manage subscriber traffic and support the delivery of packet-based services such as mobile Internet access, video, voice over IP, e-mail, mobile television, photo sharing, and gaming. The gateways also provided capabilities related to access control, transaction accounting, and management of application performance and user experience.

• 2009

  Cisco chooses to acquire Starent NetworksM&A

  Background

  Cisco sought to expand its mobile-networking and carrier-infrastructure capabilities as operators handled growing volumes of IP-based mobile data and multimedia traffic.

  Action taken

  Cisco announced on October 13, 2009, that it would purchase Starent Networks for approximately US$2.9 billion.

  Aftermath

  The acquisition closed on December 18, 2009. Starent ceased to exist as an independent company and its technology and business became part of Cisco.

  Announced acquisition value. US$2.9 billion announced transaction value (2009)

  Source

1. 1Starent Networksen.wikipedia.org