Alvarion

Alvarion was an Israeli telecommunications-equipment company whose business developed from wireless LAN and fixed wireless access into a broader portfolio of broadband connectivity systems. The company supplied network infrastructure, subscriber equipment, outdoor Wi-Fi platforms, network-management tools, and deployment services to telecommunications operators, internet-service providers, enterprises, municipalities, utilities, campuses, and public-sector organizations. The company began in 1992 as BreezeCOM Ltd. and became Alvarion in 2001 after BreezeCOM merged with Floware Wireless Systems. Its early activities were associated with wireless LAN and broadband wireless access. Over time, Alvarion became strongly identified with WiMAX, a family of technologies intended to provide broadband over metropolitan and rural wireless networks. Its BreezeACCESS and BreezeMAX product families were used for fixed wireless deployments, while later 4Motion and related systems addressed mobile and carrier broadband applications. Alvarion pursued international growth through acquisitions, strategic partnerships, and network contracts. Its 2003 acquisition of InnoWave ECI Wireless Systems expanded its technology base, while a strategic relationship with Intel supported development of WiMAX-based broadband systems. The 2004 acquisition of interWAVE Communications International added mobile GSM capabilities, although that cellular-mobile business was later sold. In 2011, Alvarion acquired Wavion Wireless, a company focused on outdoor Wi-Fi, and began shifting its strategic emphasis from a primarily WiMAX-oriented radio-access business toward multi-technology wireless broadband and carrier-grade Wi-Fi. The company participated in deployments and commercial projects in Africa, Australia, Canada, India, Europe, North America, and other regions. Projects described in public materials included broadband systems for Orange Botswana, Adam Internet in Australia, Xplornet in Canada, 4G Africa in Cameroon, and other operators, municipalities, utilities, and service providers. Its technology portfolio later included WBS, WBSn, and WBSac platforms, with features such as outdoor durability, beamforming, noise mitigation, and support for successive IEEE 802.11 wireless standards. Alvarion nevertheless operated in a difficult market. WiMAX adoption was weaker and slower than many vendors had expected, while mobile broadband, fiber, and competing wireless standards intensified pressure on fixed-wireless suppliers. In February 2013, Telrad Networks acquired Alvarion’s carrier licensed broadband-wireless-access division. Alvarion filed for bankruptcy in July 2013 and was acquired in September of that year by Intechnology plc as a strategic investment. The company continued to participate in Wi-Fi projects, including public Wi-Fi in Edinburgh and high-density event deployments in the United Kingdom. It also underwent a substantial workforce reduction in 2015 as its strategy changed. In 2016, Alvarion was acquired by SuperCom as part of SuperCom’s expansion into secure Internet-of-Things activities. Alvarion no longer operates as an independent listed telecommunications company.

Alvarion’s corporate history began in Israel in September 1992, when it was incorporated as BreezeCOM Ltd. The company entered the wireless communications market during the early growth of wireless LAN and fixed wireless access. In March 2000, BreezeCOM completed an initial public offering of five million common shares and listed on NASDAQ under the symbol BRZE. In August 2001, BreezeCOM merged with Floware Wireless Systems, another Israeli wireless company founded in 1993. The combined company adopted the name Alvarion and developed a broader position in wireless broadband access. It expanded through the acquisition of InnoWave ECI Wireless Systems from ECI Telecom in April 2003. That year it also entered a strategic partnership with Intel to co-develop WiMAX-based broadband wireless systems using Intel WiMAX chipsets. Alvarion continued to pursue technology and market expansion. In December 2004 it acquired interWAVE Communications International of Mountain View, California. The deal brought mobile GSM equipment and mobile-systems expertise into the company, although most of that operation was subsequently sold to LGC Wireless in November 2006. Alvarion’s central commercial identity remained connected with broadband wireless access, including its BreezeACCESS and BreezeMAX families and later 4Motion carrier systems. During the late 2000s and early 2010s, Alvarion announced or supported deployments in several regions. These included a WiMAX project for Orange Botswana, a metropolitan Adelaide network for Adam Internet under Australia’s Broadband Guarantee Program, a 4G project for 4G Africa in Cameroon, and rural broadband infrastructure for Xplornet in Canada. The company also described projects involving India’s Bharat Sanchar Nigam, municipal connectivity in Houston, and 4G networks in Mozambique and Uganda. Its customer base and target applications extended beyond conventional telecom operators to municipalities, utilities, universities, enterprises, and public-sector organizations. Alvarion’s products also evolved technically. The company was associated with early IEEE 802.11 wireless LAN equipment and participated in development related to wireless networking standards. After acquiring Wavion Wireless in November 2011, it placed greater emphasis on outdoor and carrier-grade Wi-Fi. Wavion had experience in metropolitan and rural outdoor Wi-Fi deployments, and its technology helped Alvarion pursue a multi-technology strategy rather than relying exclusively on WiMAX. The WBS platform supported earlier 802.11 standards and beamforming, WBSn supported 802.11n and carried an IP68 protection rating for demanding outdoor conditions, and the WBSac family introduced indoor and outdoor access points compatible with IEEE 802.11ac and earlier standards. The commercial environment became increasingly difficult. WiMAX adoption did not reach the scale anticipated by many vendors, while mobile broadband, fiber, and competing wireless technologies placed pressure on fixed wireless access businesses. Alvarion sold its carrier licensed broadband-wireless-access division to Telrad Networks in February 2013 and filed for bankruptcy in July 2013. In September 2013, Intechnology plc acquired the company as a strategic investment. Following the acquisition, Alvarion and Intechnology WiFi worked with the City of Edinburgh Council on an outdoor public Wi-Fi rollout in central Edinburgh. The business also supplied Wi-Fi for high-density United Kingdom festivals, including T in the Park and British Summer Time, and supported higher-education deployments in Rwanda. In February 2015, the company reduced its workforce by about one-third as it changed strategy. In 2016, SuperCom acquired Alvarion as part of its expansion into secure IoT-related activities. Alvarion consequently ceased to exist as an independent listed telecommunications-equipment company.

1. 2016Acquired by SuperCom

   SuperCom acquired Alvarion in connection with its secure-IoT expansion.

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2. 2013Carrier BWA division sold and bankruptcy filed

   Telrad acquired the carrier BWA division, followed by Alvarion’s bankruptcy filing later that year.

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3. 2011Wavion acquisition

   Alvarion acquired Wavion Wireless and moved toward a broader Wi-Fi and multi-technology wireless strategy.

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4. 2004interWAVE acquisition

   The acquisition added mobile GSM equipment and mobile-network expertise.

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5. 2003InnoWave acquisition and Intel partnership

   Alvarion acquired InnoWave ECI Wireless Systems and entered a WiMAX development partnership with Intel.

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6. 2001BreezeCOM merges with Floware

   The merger created the Alvarion corporate identity and expanded the combined company’s wireless broadband base.

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7. 2000Initial public offering

   BreezeCOM completed an IPO and listed its shares on NASDAQ under the symbol BRZE.

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8. 1992BreezeCOM is incorporated

   The company that later became Alvarion was incorporated in Israel as BreezeCOM Ltd.

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A provider of carrier-grade wireless broadband and Wi-Fi infrastructure for operators, enterprises, municipalities, utilities, campuses, hospitality venues, and other organizations requiring fixed or outdoor connectivity.

• BreezeACCESSFixed wireless broadband access

  BreezeACCESS was Alvarion’s fixed broadband wireless access family. It was designed for operators, enterprises, municipalities, and public-sector users that needed wireless connectivity where fiber or other wired infrastructure was unavailable, expensive, or slow to deploy. The family included network-side radio equipment and subscriber-side units for broadband access deployments.

• BreezeMAXWiMAX broadband system

  BreezeMAX was Alvarion’s principal WiMAX product family. It combined base stations, subscriber equipment, and associated management components for fixed and mobile broadband networks. The systems were marketed for carrier, rural, municipal, enterprise, and other deployments where wireless access could extend coverage without the construction of a complete wired access network.

• 4MotionMobile WiMAX infrastructure

  4Motion was a carrier-oriented Alvarion platform used in mobile and broadband wireless network projects. It supported deployments requiring base stations, network-management systems, and associated professional services, including rural and national-scale broadband initiatives.

• WBSOutdoor Wi-Fi platform

  WBS was an outdoor Wi-Fi platform associated with Wavion technology after its integration into Alvarion. The platform supported outdoor broadband applications and used beamforming and noise-mitigation techniques intended to improve coverage, capacity, and service continuity in challenging radio environments.

• WBSnOutdoor 802.11n Wi-Fi platform

  WBSn extended Alvarion’s outdoor Wi-Fi portfolio with IEEE 802.11n compatibility. Its IP68 protection rating made the equipment suitable for exposed or demanding installations, including municipal, rural, campus, and other outdoor connectivity environments.

• WBSacIndoor and outdoor 802.11ac Wi-Fi access points2016

  WBSac was a later Alvarion series of indoor and outdoor access points compliant with IEEE 802.11ac and backward-compatible with earlier 802.11 standards. It targeted carrier Wi-Fi, smart-city networks, hospitality, connected campuses, and high-density public or event environments.

• 2015High-density United Kingdom festival Wi-Fi

  United Kingdom

  Alvarion and InTechnology WiFi supplied connectivity for large UK festivals, including T in the Park and British Summer Time, where many attendees needed simultaneous access.

  Outcome. The deployments supported Wi-Fi access for tens of thousands of people concurrently.

  Source
• 2013Edinburgh city-centre public Wi-Fi

  United Kingdom

  After Intechnology’s acquisition of Alvarion, Alvarion and Intechnology WiFi worked with the City of Edinburgh Council on an outdoor free Wi-Fi rollout in central Edinburgh for residents and visitors.

  Outcome. The project provided public wireless internet access in the city centre.

  Source

• 2015Workforce reduction during strategy changeStrategy

  The post-acquisition business changed strategic direction as it focused more heavily on Wi-Fi and related connectivity opportunities.

  What changed. Alvarion reduced its workforce by approximately one-third.

  Aftermath. The reduction reflected the company’s narrower and changing operating strategy.

  Source
• 2013Sale of carrier licensed BWA divisionM&A

  Alvarion was restructuring its business amid pressure in the wireless broadband market.

  What changed. The carrier licensed broadband-wireless-access division was sold to Telrad Networks.

  Aftermath. The transaction preceded Alvarion’s bankruptcy filing and reduced the scope of its independent carrier-equipment operations.

  Source
• 2013Bankruptcy filing and acquisition by IntechnologyOther

  Alvarion’s financial position deteriorated as WiMAX faced strong competition from mobile broadband, fiber, and alternative wireless technologies.

  What changed. Alvarion filed for bankruptcy in July and was acquired by Intechnology plc in September as a strategic investment.

  Aftermath. The Alvarion name continued in selected Wi-Fi and wireless projects, but the company no longer operated as its former independent listed entity.

  Source
• 2011Shift from WiMAX-focused access to multi-technology wirelessStrategy

  Alvarion faced a market in which WiMAX adoption was less extensive than anticipated, while outdoor Wi-Fi and other wireless technologies offered additional opportunities.

  What changed. The company acquired Wavion Wireless and increased its emphasis on outdoor, carrier-grade Wi-Fi alongside its existing broadband wireless activities.

  Aftermath. The portfolio expanded toward smart-city, enterprise, campus, hospitality, and high-density-event connectivity.

  Source

• 2016SuperCom acquires Alvarion

  SuperCom acquired Alvarion as part of an expansion into secure Internet-of-Things solutions.

  M&A
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• 2015Alvarion reduces workforce during strategic change

  The company laid off approximately one-third of its workforce as it changed strategic direction.

  Leadership change
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• 2013Telrad Networks acquires Alvarion’s carrier BWA division

  Telrad acquired the carrier licensed broadband-wireless-access division before Alvarion entered bankruptcy proceedings.

  M&ABankruptcy
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• 2013Alvarion files for bankruptcy

  Alvarion filed for bankruptcy amid financial and strategic pressure in the wireless broadband market.

  Bankruptcy
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• 2013Intechnology acquires Alvarion

  Intechnology plc acquired Alvarion as a strategic investment, after which the companies participated in public Wi-Fi and other connectivity projects.

  M&A
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• 2011Alvarion acquires Wavion Wireless

  The acquisition added outdoor Wi-Fi technology and supported a strategic transition toward multi-technology wireless broadband.

  M&A
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• 2010Alvarion selected for African and North American 4G projects

  Publicly described projects included a 4G deployment for 4G Africa in Cameroon and a large rural-broadband deployment with Xplornet in Canada.

  Product launchOther
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• 2009Alvarion wins and starts international WiMAX deployments

  The company announced a WiMAX deployment for Orange Botswana and began work on a wireless broadband network for Adam Internet in metropolitan Adelaide.

  Product launchOther
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• 2006Alvarion sells cellular-mobile business

  Most of the former interWAVE operations were sold to LGC Wireless, narrowing Alvarion’s focus.

  M&A
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• 2004Alvarion acquires interWAVE Communications International

  The acquisition expanded Alvarion’s portfolio into mobile GSM equipment and added mobile-systems expertise.

  M&A
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• 2003Alvarion agrees to develop WiMAX systems with Intel

  Alvarion and Intel entered a strategic relationship to develop broadband wireless systems based on WiMAX technology and Intel chipsets.

  Product launch
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• 2001BreezeCOM and Floware merge to form Alvarion

  The merger of two Israeli wireless companies created the Alvarion corporate identity and broadened its wireless broadband operations.

  M&A
  Source
• 2000BreezeCOM completes initial public offering

  BreezeCOM sold shares in an initial public offering and became listed on NASDAQ under the symbol BRZE.

  Other
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1. Alvarion