World Wide Packets, a start-up based in Spokane, Washington raised $15.7 million in the first closing of its third round of funding for its Ethernet-based last mile access solutions. The company's "LightningEdge" access equipment is currently deployed in some 34 networks, including various municipalities, MSOs, CLECs and ILECs. The funding was led by new investors Madrona Venture Group and Northwest Venture Associates. Several existing investors also participated in the latest round, including Azure Capital Partners.
World Wide Packets features a Layer 2 Ethernet-to-the-Subscriber architecture that runs over either copper or active fiber connections. The company's product line spans central office aggregation boxes, neighborhood concentrators and customer premise equipment, supporting IP voice, video and data services. World Wide Packets also provides a network management system with extensive provisioning capabilities. Because it leverages a Layer 2 Ethernet network architecture, the company said its network architecture more easily accommodates wholesale service models whereby multiple ISPs, voice carriers or video providers share the same network.
World Wide Packets had raised $90 million in its prior rounds. http://www.worldwidepackets.com
- World Wide Packets is headed by David Curry, who previously led Architel Systems (acquired by Nortel Networks.
- World Wide Packets is based in Spokane, Washington and currently has 63 employees.
