Start-up targets LTE network automation

Startup AirHop Communications, which launched in stealth mode in 2007, came out of hiding to reveal that it is focusing on the LTE market with an aim of delivering software that enables self-organizing networking (SON), a capability the industry will likely be touting heavier with the commencement of LTE rollouts around the world.

SON refers to the ability of LTE networks to self configure, self operate and self optimize themselves throughout their life cycle, thereby reducing the operational expenditures of LTE networks. For instance, LTE cell sites can be connected and optimized automatically rather than on a manual basis. The Next Generation Mobile Networks (NGMN) Alliance and the Third Generation Partnership Project (3GPP) have standardized SON with an eye on decreasing the associated opex with rolling out and managing LTE networks. In particular, AirHop is focused on SON, inter-cell coordination, real-time provisioning and efficient frequency reuse.

In coming out of stealth mode, AirHop announced a $1 million strategic financing and an expansion of its management team and board of directors. It's unclear who is providing the funding.

The company appointed Garrett Choi as the company's new chief operating officer, Jerry Hall as vice president of marketing and Anand Parikh as vice president of business development. New board members include Chairman Stephen Diamond, former head of Reef Point, and former Motorola executive Adrian Nemcek.

Interestingly, Motorola has been the only major infrastructure vendor to date to highly tout its SON story.

For more:
- see this AirHop Communications release

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