Starent Networks

Starent Networks, Corp. was a supplier of IP-based mobile infrastructure solutions for mobile and converged carriers. Founded in 2000 by Ashraf M. Dahod and Tony Schoener, the Tewksbury, Massachusetts-based company provided the essential hardware and software that empowered mobile operators to deliver a host of multimedia services to their subscribers. Dahod, a serial entrepreneur with a history of building successful technology companies, identified a market opportunity in the burgeoning mobile internet space. His extensive background, with degrees in physics and multiple engineering disciplines topped by an MBA from Harvard, provided a foundation for recognizing and acting on technological and market discontinuities.

The company's core business centered on developing multimedia core technology that served as a gateway between the radio access network and the operator's IP packet core network. This technology was a critical component for mobile operators, enabling them to manage access from 2.5G, 3G, and 4G radio networks and deliver services like video, internet access, voice-over-IP (VoIP), mobile TV, and gaming. Starent's products were access-agnostic, supporting a wide array of mobile wireless technologies including CDMA2000, UMTS/HSPA, WiMAX, and LTE, which allowed operators to offer a consistent service experience across different networks from a single platform. Revenue was generated through the direct and indirect sale of its hardware and software to mobile operators globally. By 2009, its solutions had been deployed by over 100 mobile operators in 45 countries.

Starent Networks experienced significant growth, culminating in a successful initial public offering (IPO) in 2007. The company's trajectory and strategic importance in the mobile data ecosystem attracted the attention of industry giants. In October 2009, Cisco Systems announced a definitive agreement to acquire Starent Networks for approximately $2.9 billion in cash. The acquisition was completed in December 2009, after which Starent Networks became the Mobile Internet Technology Group within Cisco's Service Provider Business, with Ashraf Dahod leading the new division as a Senior Vice President and General Manager.

Keywords: mobile infrastructure, packet core network, multimedia core technology, wireless network solutions, IP-based mobile solutions, CDMA2000, UMTS, HSPA, LTE, WiMAX, mobile operator services, service provider infrastructure, radio access network gateway, Ashraf Dahod, mobile internet, multimedia services, voice-over-IP, mobile TV, Cisco acquisition, network hardware, telecom infrastructure, mobile broadband