Sequans Communications

Company name: Sequans Communications
Where it's based: Paris
When it was founded: 2003
Year it was a Fierce 15: 2008
Website: www.sequans.com

Why it was a Fierce 15: WiMAX silicon provider Sequans Communications racked up an impressive list of customers both on the base station and device side. Sequans chips were the basis for just about every WiMAX device coming out of Taiwan, and the company's silicon powered nearly all of India's WiMAX networks, including those from BSNL, VSNL, Tata and Reliance, partnering with vendor Telsima. In the developed world, Sequans powered one of the first devices to launch on Sprint Nextel's network, the ZyXEL desktop device. Click here for more.

What has happened since it was awarded the Fierce 15: Sequans remains in the WiMAX business; in June it announced it shipped its 1 millionth WiMAX chip. ZyXEL and SOLid technologies in South Korea use the company's chips, and it unveiled a new generation of chips in February.