CTIA Wireless 2009

AirWalk Launches Enterprise Femtocell to a Potentially Limited Market

| Mar 19, 2009 | Wireless Infrastructure | Show Update

| Analysts: Peter Jarich, Mike Jude

Current Perspective: Slightly Negative Vendor Importance: High Market Impact: Moderate

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Event Summary

March 17, 2009 -- AirWalk Communications announced the EdgePoint Pro femtocell targeted at enterprise applications. The new product supports rack-mount and wall-mount deployment options as well as handoff to the macro network and between devices – all designed to extend cellular voice and data services into the enterprise and across campuses. It supports up to 28 users with 200mW of transmit power and supports either 1X or EV-DO technologies. No details on availability were provided.

Analytical Summary

• Current Perspective: Slightly negative on AirWalk’s new EdgePoint PRO femtocell. To be sure, the added capabilities of the new offer (vs. the residential EdgePoint) are a good fit with the enterprise market – a market that looks to be a generating operator interest. That said, a lack of combined 2G/3G capabilities forces the enterprise into a tradeoff between voice or data coverage and a tight focus on 3GPP2 technologies naturally limits the market opportunity.

• Vendor Importance: High to AirWalk because the company’s business success is largely tied to the femtocell market. Yes, the company has microcell and macro cell products. To the extent that competitors can deliver similar products, however, the femtocell is AirWalk’s biggest opportunity to carve out a stronger market position. To this end, new products, opening up new femtocell markets – like the enterprise – are critical, if only to provide differentiation against femtocell competitors and better meet diverse operator demands.

• Market Impact: Moderate on the femtocell market because the CDMA2000 segment of the market is likely to be rather limited – particularly when compared to the larger 3GPP opportunity. Combined with the fact that AirWalk is a relatively small vendor lacking the deployment or R&D track record of major wireless vendors. Of course, a focus on the enterprise – whether or not the EdgePoint Pro is successful - does point to operator demands and suggests the R&D to be expected from competitors.

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Current Perspective

Competitive Positives and Concerns

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