Wave7 Optics

About Wave7 Optics

Founded in 2000 and based in Alpharetta, Georgia, Wave7 Optics operated as a developer and supplier of fiber-to-the-premise (FTTP) optical broadband access systems. The company focused on delivering voice, video, and data services over IP and Ethernet standards to address the "last mile" of broadband connectivity for both residential and business clients.

The company's product portfolio was designed to provide high-bandwidth, dynamically provisionable optical access. Key products included the Last Mile Link family and the Trident7 universal access platform. The Trident7 was a notable system engineered to support various standards like GEPON, GPON, and point-to-point Ethernet from a single platform, offering flexibility to service providers. This architecture was positioned as a cost-competitive alternative to other FTTX solutions by aiming to reduce high fiber counts and overcome distance limitations.

Wave7 Optics successfully navigated multiple funding rounds, securing a total of $86.5 million over six rounds from a syndicate of institutional investors. Key investors included Advanced Technology Ventures, Oak Investment Partners, Morgenthaler Ventures, Lucent Venture Partners, Mellon Ventures, Ballast Point Ventures, and Armada Investment. These capital infusions were directed towards expanding sales, marketing, and customer support globally to drive revenue growth and further develop its FTTP platforms.

The company's journey culminated in its acquisition by Enablence Technologies on August 25, 2008, for a reported $10.5 million in cash and stock. The strategic acquisition was intended to integrate Enablence's Planar Lightwave Circuit (PLC) technology into the Trident7 system, aiming to create a more competitive product offering in the global FTTH market. At the time of the acquisition, Wave7 Optics had a customer base of over 100 clients worldwide.