Ericsson to Buy BelAir Networks

Ericsson has entered into an agreement to acquire 100% of the shares in the privately held Canadian WiFi company BelAir Networks. Through the transaction, Ericsson aims to acquire a carrier grade WiFi portfolio, technological expertise, IPR, and established customer contracts and relationships. The terms of the transaction, which is expected to close during the first half of 2012, were not disclosed.The acquisition of BelAir Networks will be part of Ericsson's heterogeneous network (hetnet) strategy to improve the mobile broadband experience by managing the co-existence of mobile technologies and WiFi.Established in 2002, BelAir Networks is based in Ottawa, Ontario, and has approximately 120 employees. BelAir Networks' employees will join Ericsson's global organization. The company's BelAir100SP Strand Picocell was voted the best new product idea likely to succeed at the CableLabs Summer Conference in August 2010.