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09/23/2004: "Marriage of the desperate"

Nomadix partners with Firetide

Nomadix, Inc., the leading supplier of Public-access solutions and Firetide, a leader in wireless mesh networking, today announceda joint marketing agreement to enable customers and solution providers to save time and money in rolling out and operating Public-access networks.The Nomadix–Firetide partnership brings together Nomadix Access Gateways running the Nomadix Service EngineTM (NSE) and Firetide HotPointTM Wireless MeshRouters. This combined solution is ideal for environments such as hotels, RV parks, airports, convention centers, and municipalities, where structuredwiring such as Ethernet or fiber cabling is too difficult or costly to install.

“We are pleased to be working with Firetide to provide the industry with a cost-effective, easy to deploy solution for installation of large scale hot zones,” said Kurt Bauer, President and CEO of Nomadix. “From the initial WLAN installation through the seamless user experience, Firetide and Nomadix lead the way in simplifying Public-access operation for service providers and venue operators.”

The Nomadix Service Engine™ (NSE) addresses the key issues of customer acquisition, provisioning, security and revenue generation faced by providers and venue owners when deploying Public-access networks. The NSE eliminates barriers encountered by end users accessing these networks and provides a problem-free experience.Nomadix offers a full range of Access Gateways running the NSE software. All Access Gateways come with the NSE Core software package.

Firetide’s HotPoint™ wireless mesh routers use advanced routing technologies and IEEE 802.11-compliant radios to “unwire” the Ethernet backhaul and create a self-configuring, self-healing mesh network. This eliminates the need to wire access points back to a network switch. Firetide Wireless Instant Networks scaleand self-configure instantly by simply plugging HotPoints into standard AC power outlets, resulting in a simple and reliable alternative to standard Ethernet cable.

“The combination of Firetide’s mesh backhaul solution and Nomadix Public-access Gateways makes it possible to implement wireless hot spots virtually anywhere – indoorsand outdoors – quickly and easily,” said Bo Larsson, CEO of Firetide. “Carriers, service providers, wireless ISPs and venue owners can now profitably meet the growingdemand for broadband Internet access.”

The Nomadix–Firetide agreement enables the companies’ sales and marketing teams to work together on channel programs, cross-training, joint-marketing and sales, and customer opportunities.


These things never work out well. I'm sure that the post-honeymoon period will be more like Voyage of the Damned.

Both companies have new CEOs. Bo Larsson didn't last long at Emuzed, and admits that he can't sit still. Bauer moved up from VP of Field Ops, which I find highly questionable, unless Nomadix is now a deployment services company. Maybe thats the only place the board could insert him on his way into the company. I know the BoD at Firetide picked Mr. Larsson, but only after allowing the company to flounder for months, losing most of the momentum it had.

Neither company has any real technology base. Firetide licensed TBRPF from , and runs it, and FreeBSD on a Soekris board. (The Tropos solution is very similar.) As for Nomadix, I've already made public statements about the Nomadix Patent.

New CEOs, new partnerships, it all spells near-certain doom to me. I've been through that dance once or twice.

Life's a piece of shit,
When you look at it.
Life's a laugh and death's a joke it's true.
You'll see it's all a show.
Keep 'em laughing as you go.
Just remember that the last laugh is on you.
And...

Always look on the bright side of life.