Ubiquisys - Upwardly Mobile
"A lot of people in the mobile phone industry didn't believe it
was possible to do what we have done. They were convinced we would
not be able to overcome the integration, radio and installation
problems, or that we would be able to do it for the right price. We
have proved them wrong and convinced three of the world's leading
venture capitalists to back us. Without a doubt, our location in
the M4 high technology corridor has played a role in our early
success and will continue to do so." Will Franks,
Founder and CTO, Ubiquisys.
Ubiquisys is poised to change the way we use our mobile phones
and bring leading edge technology into our homes. The Swindon
company, which is the brainchild of Will Franks and fellow
entrepreneurs, Pete Keevill and Len Schuch, has developed a box
that plugs into a customer's broadband connection at home, acting
like a mini mobile phone network. Named ZoneGate, the system
overcomes a problem that has challenged mobile phone operators for
years - that of improving mobile coverage inside the home.
The problem is this. Customers want to be able to use their
mobiles anywhere, including inside the home, as it is easier and
more convenient. However, mobile signals cannot easily penetrate
walls and the situation is likely to worsen with the growth of 3G
mobiles as they operate at a higher frequency which is more readily
blocked by buildings. ZoneGate uses advanced femtocell technology
that integrates with existing mobile networks. While inside the
house, all of the customer's mobile calls are routed via the
ZoneGate box, resulting in improved coverage and significantly
lower call costs. The system provides a massive increase in
capacity, compared to current mobile base stations, which means it
can be used to support the growth of next generation services such
as IP TV and downloading music and video content to the mobile, all
of which are very capacity-hungry.
ZoneGate is currently undergoing trials and will be launched early
in 2008. Since its humble beginnings on the kitchen table of its
founders, Ubiquisys has grown rapidly to become a globally
recognised company of 60 plus people, with backing from three of
the world's leading venture capitalists, Accel Partners, Atlas
Venture and Advent Venture Partners. This year it was named by the
global media organisation, Red Herring, as one of the 100 most
promising companies driving the future of technology, joining the
ranks of previous Red Herring 100 Europe award-winners like Google,
eBay and Skype. It has also reached the final three in the Global
Mobile Awards Innovations category.
Ubiquisys has remained in Swindon, where the idea was born and Will
Franks points out there are very clear advantages to being based
here:
"The M4 corridor is a focal point for mobile phone operators,
mobile phone infrastructure companies and people with mobile phone
expertise. We need to be able to access a wide range of different
skills and the fact that there is industry here as well as research
is ideal for us as we need practical experience as well as theory.
In the two and a half years since the company was formed we have
grown exponentially, so ease of recruitment and a pool of available
skills is a major reason for us to remain in the South West. We are
also ideally placed for access to the M4, the rail network and
Heathrow airport."
Will also believes that the incubator unit, which was the company's
home until it outgrew it, played a role in Ubiquisys'
success:
"No matter how strong your idea, it is nerve-wracking to give up
your day job and go it alone. Within a few months of setting up,
Ubiquisys moved to SETsquared in Swindon, which provides support to
technology start-ups and university spin-outs. It is a very
supportive and dynamic environment, which gave us access to
contacts who could help us to develop and grow. The venture
capitalists were particularly impressed that we were based there
and, since moving out to our own premises, we have remained in
close contact and now provide mentoring for other start-up
companies. When you have a zero budget, an incubator unit like this
is a lifeline that can help you to become established and build
your credibility with customers and investors.
"My advice to other would-be entrepreneurs is to talk to as many
people as possible who have been through the experience and can
give you an objective and rational view on what you are doing. It
is not an easy road to go down, which is why I am keen to do my bit
to support start-ups. There is a huge amount of talent in this area
and it is great to help to nurture it."