Type Public Industry Software, Networking Founded 30 November 1982 | Traded as NASDAQ: SMSI Founder William W. Smith, Jr. Number of employees 380 (2012) | |
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Key people William W. Smith Jr.
Chairman and CEO Revenue $98.4 million USD (2008) Net income $3.16 million USD (2007) Stock price SMSI (NASDAQ) US$ 0.89 +0.05 (+5.69%)24 Mar, 1:27 PM GMT-4 - Disclaimer CEO William W. Smith, Jr. (30 Nov 1982–) Headquarters Aliso Viejo, California, United States Subsidiaries Allume Systems, PhoTags, Inc, Ecutel Systems, Inc Profiles | ||
Smith Micro Software, Inc., founded in 1982 by William W. Smith, Jr., is a diversified developer and marketer of both enterprise and consumer-level software and services. Though headquartered in Aliso Viejo, California, Smith Micro maintains multiple domestic and international offices, with United States locations in Mountain View and Santa Cruz, California, Chicago, Illinois, and Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, as well as international locations in Europe and Asia. Recently, the company has shifted focus toward network connection and security technologies, and begun forays into the evolving wireless media industry, as indicated by partnerships with cellular service providers such as Verizon Wireless, AT&T, and Sprint Nextel.
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Corporate history
Smith Micro initially focused on dial-up modem and fax software technology, distributing predominantly to OEM computer software/hardware manufacturers. With an IPO in 1995, Smith Micro became publicly traded in the NASDAQ under the symbol SMSI. Initial stock offering values were approx. $12.75 per share.
By the late '90s, dial-up internet access was being replaced by cable internet, DSL, and wireless broadband technologies due to their substantially higher speed and reliability. This change led Smith Micro to re-apply its network connection expertise to new, wireless and mobile network software. Network connection management became a specialization of the company and, as such, Smith Micro developed products of interest to large-scale mobile network operators such as AT&T, Bell Canada, Orange, Sprint, T-Mobile, Verizon, and Vodafone. While fax and modem-related products were still being sold, the QuickLink family of wireless connection manager became the company's primary source of revenue in the early 2000s.
In 2005, Smith Micro acquired Allume Systems and their StuffIt data compression software. Shortly after, Smith Micro acquired Israel-based image editing company, PhoTags. Following these and other acquisitions (e frontier America and busineSMS.com Software) Smith Micro expanded its overall consumer business presence, but retained focus on network and wireless-related products.
In early 2008, the company began to expand its portfolio to wireless access and mobile services. Smith Micro introduced solutions for enhanced mobile communications, such as push-to-talk software, visual voicemail services, and video streaming. Smith Micro also expressed interest in WiMAX broadband, a newly developed cellular technology, typically considered to be a 4G wireless protocol, and a candidate for the replacement of current 3G cellular systems.