Founded in 1999 in Cambridge UK, ip.access originally developed a GSM 2G femtocell solution. This has given them considerable experience of the types of problems encountered in handling small indoor cells. Their 2G GSM solution includes a full IP-based BSC and OMC-R management system, and has between 20-30 commercial deployments around the world. They also offer a complete subsystem solution for 3G femtocells with perhaps a stronger focus on enterprise and business users.

They setup an Indian development centre in Pune in September 2010 having signed two Indian mobile networks as customers.

Their major 3G femtocell customer is AT&T, where their residential femtocell product is supplied through Cisco and branded as 3G Microcell.

History

ip.access launched the Oyster 3G at 3GSM conference in February 2007 as a standalone product. Unlike some other femtocell vendors, they offer a complete subsystem including OMC-R and device management.

They have proven interworking with the Nokia femtocell gateway, but prefer to provide the complete solution. Cisco incorporated and re-branded the ip.access femtocell for AT&T 3G Micocell, where they provide some of the core network capability and have integrated the solution into AT&T's network.

Both their GSM and 3G product sets comply with the TR-069 remote device management standard.

Announced selection of picoChip modem on 25 September 2006. Incorporates OpenClovis open-source middleware in the product.

ip.access claim to have identified and solved some of the more difficult technical issues in operating 3G femtocells, and have applied for patents for some of these techniques.

Demonstrated direct IP breakout from the femtocell in June 2008. This is the "3G Home Routing " feature which avoids all data traffic being routed back to the mobile operator's network, and also enables femtozone services where the user's device can operate differently and enable additional services when at home in the coverage area of the femtocell. This has been promoted under the context of the "Connected Home", which would use smarter mobile devices (or at least equipped with additional software applications) to achieve a wide range of additional services.Watch a video of their demo on YouTube

Andy Tiller, VP Marketing, provided an interview to ThinkFemtocell - October 2010 including some insight to their future roadmap.

Their CEO, Stephen Mallison, left the company in March 2011, when Simon Brown (ex Nokia, Telsis) took over.

ip.access femtocell partners

Various press announcements include:

Tatara Systems, who provide services based around the SIP/IMS technology architecture.

Mavenir Systems who's Intelligent Convergence System provides additional and specific services based around femtozones, including location, presence and home zone features.

Cisco Systems made a strategic investment in ip.access in January 2008 and have embedded ip.access femtocell technology into their consumer products, specifically those provided to AT&T for the 3G Microcell.

Ownership

ip.access was 47% owned by Motorola Ventures Inc, which bought it from TTP parent company in 2006. Other investors also include Scottish Equity Partners, Rothschild Gestion, Intel Capital, Amadeus Capital Partners and ADC. Since then Cisco also took an undisclosed stake in the business in January 2008 - Cisco owns Linksys and Scientific Atlanta which make home hub and set top boxes respectively, mainly for the home market. Qualcomm also made an undisclosed investment in May 2008.

Product Information

Their nano3G enterprise products include the S-Class and the E-Class ranges. Both can handle up to 8 concurrent calls and data rates up to 7 Mbit/s. The S-Class is similar to a consumer device and designed to be "plug and play", enabling self-installation. The E-Class has higher RF power output and can be connected to a distributed antenna system. Both can operate with full open access, so that any mobile subscriber can use them.

ip.access website

Comments (1)

Andy Tiller said:

	Quick correction The ip.access femtocell architecture is based on split RNC, not UMA (so we haven't done UNC interoperability testing). More details here - http://www.ipaccess.com/products/oyster3G_hiw.htm
	report abuse vote down vote up

October 07, 2007 | url
Votes: +0