Hans, Aware has recently suffered a major strategic setback--its early partner in developing DWMT, Westell, has opted to enrich its product line with DMT products based on Amati's DMT line code, not Aware's (they recently announced a partnership with Motorola to develop rate-adaptive DSL modems based on MOT's new, DMT CopperGold chip). I understand it was almost a foregone conclusion that WSTL would develop DWMT Adsls. So Aware is quite isolated now as it begins its launch into a very competitive DSL marketplace. They were orig. a video compression specialist, mostly R & D (I think MIT connections too). Their wavelet modulation is, however, superior (marginally) to Amati DMT (according to engineers I spoke with who have no vested interests in either). Their DMT product line has maybe one modem. I don't think they are going anywhere, to be quite honest.
They have, I feel, not focused enough--they are still doing video compression (they lost a battle for video compression standard to MPEG several years ago), modulation for coax, for DSL. I'm not impressed with them as strategists, to put it mildly.
My favorite upcoming DSL IPO is Orckit Communications (see their website for articles on the company written by various communic. journals--www.orckit.com). They are one of the most aggressive and innovative DSL firms going. But there are great bargains now in Westell and Amati, once this correction is behind us.
There is an active thread in this Communications forum on the Aware IPO--how useful it is, I can't say, since I haven't so much as taken a peek in the door.
Dave |
