Symbol, Intel team up on wireless networking project

By Staff -- Logistics Management, 4/1/2000

One of the nation's top manufacturers of computer chips has teamed up with the leading bar-code technology maker to build wireless products. Chip maker Intel Corp. of Santa Clara, Calif., and Symbol Technologies of Holtsville, N.Y., have inked a multiyear joint development pact to create advanced wireless networking capabilities and products. As part of the deal, Intel plans to invest $100 million in Symbol, representing an ownership stake of 1.5 percent.

The two companies say they plan to devote more than 200 engineers to the project to develop wireless high-speed local area networking (LAN) technologies. Such technology would allow mobile, handheld, and desktop computers to communicate with both corporate networks and the Internet without requiring a direct wire connection.

"This partnership moves the world closer to ubiquitous, wireless Internet connectivity-anywhere, anytime," says Tomo Razmilovic, Symbol's president and chief operating officer.