They may not be merging, but networking companies Proxim and Netopia will still be working together. That’s the word from both companies in a join press release issued this morning.
“… due to current market conditions, [Proxim and Netopia] have mutually agreed to terminate their Agreement and Plan of Reorganization and related agreements without payment of any termination fees,” said the companies.
Proxim is a developer of broadband wireless networking technology. The company is a champion of the HomeRF wireless networking standard, a competitor to 802.11b, the standard used by Apple for its own AirPort products. Proxim’s stock took a sharp downturn earlier this week after Intel indicated that its new consumer products would support 802.11b — up until now, Intel has preferred HomeRF for wireless consumer devices. Proxim has downplayed the news, saying that it will soon release HomeRF 2.0, a higher-speed version of the wireless networking technology that works closer to 802.11b’s speed.
Netopia is a maker of Internet infrastructure hardware used by small- and medium-sized businesses. The company makes a variety of devices including routers, security appliances, turnkey e-business solutions, and software like Timbuktu Pro, netOctopus and more.
Both Proxim and Netopia will continue a relationship as strategic partners, said the companies. Netopia plans to integrate Proxim’s HomeRF standard into its broadband routers and IADs (integrated access devices).