Already strong in the cable modem and gateway market, Intel will look to expand more deeply into the world of DSL, FTTP, WiFi, LTE and the broader “Internet of Things” by snapping up Lantiq, a maker of broadband access and home networking silicon.
Intel did not disclose the financial term of the deal, but expects to close it within 90 days. Intel said the deal will deepen its ability to power a new class of “smart routers.”
Intel said more than 100 operators around the world have deployed Germany-based Lantiq’s DSL technologies, noting that the company has also been developing products for GPON and G.fast, an emerging standard designed to bring 1-Gig capabilities to DSL. Of recent note, Lantiq has been identified as one of several vendors that have awarded design wins to Sckipio, a startup that specializes in G.fast silicon. Last year, Dan Moloney, the former president of Motorola Mobility, joined board of Lantiq, a former unit of Infineon that was acquired in 2009 by Golden Gate Capital.
Intel, which got into the DOCSIS and cable gateway game in 2010 through the acquisition of Texas Instruments’ cable modem business, believes the purchase of Lantiq will position it to support a broader variety of access technologies.
"By 2018, we expect more than 800 million broadband connected households worldwide," said Kirk Skaugen, senior vice president and general manager of Intel's Client Computing Group, in a statement. "Intel has been a global leader in driving broadband into the home and to connected compute devices. The combination of our cable gateway business with Lantiq's technology and talent can allow global service providers to introduce new home computing experiences and enable consumers to take advantage of a more smart and connected home."
"Intel and Lantiq share a common vision about the evolution of the connected home and the intelligent network," added Lantiq CEO Dan Artusi. "Together we can drive the transformation of the broadband customer premises equipment (CPE) as it becomes a smart gateway that connects an increasingly diverse roster of devices and services in the home."
