Subject: [NEXTEL-1] Different from Nextel Communications' real-time DirectConnect feature

From: Marcel <[email-masked]>
Date: Tue, 11 Feb 2003 04:48:26 -0500

Sector report

By Peter J. Howe, Globe Staff and Wire Reports, 2/10/2003

DATA EQUIPMENT

Starent Networks raises more capital

Starent Networks Corp.,
a Tewksbury wireless
high-speed data
equipment start-up, has
closed a $23 million
venture capital round from
local investors and its key
manufacturing and sales
partner, South Korean
electronics giant Samsung.
The deal being announced
today raised
150-employee Starent's
total capital to $55
million.

Just 21/2 years old, Starent has been a key vendor of equipment now being used
by China Unicom for a wireless data service that maxes out at 144 kilobits per
second and has already drawn more than 7 million subscribers. Unicom expects 20
million by December.

Ashraf Dahod, the Starent president and chief executive, said its ST16 Intelligent
Mobile Gateway can transmit video clips to cellphones, and by the middle of this
year should support an innovative ''voice instant messaging'' product.

Different from Nextel Communications' real-time DirectConnect feature, the
Starent service would let people record and send short messages that would be
like instantly accessible voice mails, and they could be sent to groups as well as
individuals.

Starent is also working on licensing speech-recognition software to allow people to
use their voice to pull up information from the Internet. It hopes to announce some
North American customers this year.

Route 128 venture capital leaders Matrix Partners, North Bridge Venture Partners,
and Highland Capital went in with Samsung on the third round of funding.

WEB SEARCHING

iPhrase Technologies announces deal

iPhrase Technologies Inc., a Cambridge start-up that has developed systems to let
people search Web sites and private databases by typing plain-English questions, is
announcing a new deal today with Linsco/Private Ledger, a $40 billion independent
brokerage house.

LPL is deploying iPhrase's ''OneStep'' software package on its corporate intranet
to give its 4,350 affiliated brokers clearer, simpler access to 6,000 Web pages
worth of information covering issues such as firm operating procedures, online
training seminars, and research information about stocks.

LPL hopes the iPhrase system can substantially reduce the 500,000 calls a year its
in-house call center gets from LPL representatives. Financial terms of the deal
aren't being disclosed.

Instead of having to click through a dozen Web links, the iPhrase system would let
brokers get information by typing in a question like, ''How do I transfer assets in a
rollover IRA account?'' to narrow the search down to the pages most likely to have
the information.

iPhrase, whose backers include Lexis-Nexis database owner Reed Elsevier, has
sold systems to Reed as well as megaportal Yahoo, brokerages Charles Schwab
and TD Waterhouse, and upscale retailer Neiman Marcus.

INFORMATION MANAGEMENT

Blue Cod, Millbrook to integrate software

Blue Cod Technologies Inc. of Worcester says it has signed a strategic alliance
agreement with Millbrook Inc., based in Bethlehem, Pa. Under the deal, the two
partners will integrate their software products for insurance companies, higher
education institutions, and the financial services industry.

Blue Cod currently markets software management suites called Blue Cod Allgenda,
Blue Cod AllWrite, and Blue Cod AllOne to help customers manage workflow,
assignments, and customer information. The company will now add to its suite
Millbrook's Beacon information management software, which enables companies
and institutions to access information from their internal data warehouses for
reporting, analysis, and other requirements.

http://www.boston.com/dailyglobe2/041/business/Sector_report+.shtml

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