TapRoot Systems

About TapRoot Systems

TapRoot Systems Inc. was a software maker based in Research Triangle Park, N.C. The company specialized in developing technology to bridge the gap between Wi-Fi and cellular networks for mobile carriers.

The company's flagship product was 'WalkingHotSpot', a software package designed for wireless carriers to offer their customers. This software enabled smartphones to function as mobile Wi-Fi hotspots, allowing up to five Wi-Fi-enabled devices to connect to the internet through the phone's cellular broadband connection. The system worked on phones running Windows Mobile or Symbian S60 software. The CEO at the time of the WalkingHotSpot launch was Bob Bickster.

The WalkingHotSpot platform was developed to address carriers' concerns about network capacity by providing them with a server to control access, which also created a new business model for charging subscribers for the service. This addressed the growing demand for constant connectivity by leveraging existing 3G infrastructure and the smartphones already available in the market.

In 2010, TapRoot Systems was acquired by Research In Motion (RIM), the maker of BlackBerry, as part of a series of acquisitions to enhance its technology portfolio and develop a next-generation operating system.