Venturi Wireless, a start-up based in Sunnyvale, California, introduced its optimization suite for consumer applications and wireless devices ranging from feature phones to smartphones and PDAs.
Venturi Wireless aims to significantly improve the performance of multimedia services on wireless devices, by providing an optimized media server and client application capable of accelerating downloads up to three times. Video/audio streams would start two to three times faster. The architecture scales to enable mobile operators to meet the demands of the broad consumer market, supporting up to millions of optimized user connections without any degradation in service quality.
The VClient acts as a transparent “media inter-mediator” to the media server, using bit-rate estimation of network transmission speeds for smoother playback of multimedia applications. Client- and server-side audio/video buffers keep the data stream from freezing during playback.
Venturi’s “Adaptive Airlink Optimization” technology transparently replaces Transmission Control Protocol (TCP), including the User Datagram Protocol (UDP) for video, with a patented Venturi Transport Protocol (VTP) that overcomes the high latency and high packet loss issues that plague even next-generation wireless networks. VTP uses rate estimation to transmit data at full network speed, thus eliminating TCP’s inefficiencies. VTP avoids TCP’s congestion control reactions, which cause high latency and back-offs, leading to faster speeds and fewer dropped sessions, interruptions, and connection time-outs. Venturi said VTP also improves multimedia speed and reliability even in poor radio frequency (RF) conditions.
The VClient Handset Edition can be ported onto the most popular feature phones and smartphones based on Symbian, Linux, Windows Mobile, and BREW.
The new product suite complements Venturi’s existing product line for wireless laptops. Venturi’s handset optimization suite includes the Venturi V5000 optimization server, the VClient Handset Edition, and the VCentral management system. Venturi solutions optimize the performance of applications over any wireless data network, including 1xRTT, EV-DO, GPRS/EDGE, WCDMA and WiMAX/Wi-Bro networks.
The Venturi V5000 and VCentral will be available the first quarter of 2006. The VClient Handset Edition is available today for Windows Mobile Smartphones and Pocket PCs and will be available for feature phones starting January 2006.
http://www.venturiwireless.com
- In January 2005, Venturi Wireless secured $10 million in series C funding for its wireless network optimization solutions. Venturi Wireless’s customers include Cingular Wireless, China Mobile, DDI Pocket, O2, and Verizon Wireless. InterWest Partners led the round with participation from new investor the Intel Communications Fund and existing investors Novus Ventures, Horizon Ventures and Storm Ventures. Total funding in Venturi Wireless stands at $23 million
