Well, Cisco DID follow through and purchase Navini Networks to enter the WiMAX market. I’m preparing another article on that move that should be posted tomorrow. For quite a while, Cisco held staunch in their position that they would not play in the WiMAX game, but this was clearly stonewalling until such time as it made sense to enter. Obviously, Cisco follows the money like any good company and there is money, big money, in WiMAX. When any networking vendor smells that kind of cash flow, they bite.

Will they antagonize many partners with the Navini purchase? Probably. Do they care? Politically, they will say, “Yes” but in reality, the answer is, “No.” If a company, any company, can make money directly or via partners, the answer depends on the raw revenue stream. In a market with big revenue, you almost always go direct. If you want to go direct, but lack the offerings, you acquire. That’s exactly what Cisco did with Navini and it is modus operandi at Cisco. Just reflect on their history.

Whether they lament the decision really depends on their execution. If they play their cards right, and they usually do in the hardware markets, they will sing praises to the WiMAX gods because they will generate a ton of money for CSCO stockholders!

For the record, I own no CSCO stock and have no vested interest in Cisco. In fact, I compete with (and partner with) Cisco in the software market! Still, I respect them as a venerable leader in networking equipment.

Why do you think Cisco would buy into WiMAX. If they are technologically agnostic as claimed by their VP, then why should theyc are? Anyways their equipment a lion’s share of today’s IP core. On the other hand this move stands the chance of antagonising a host of partners who puts a Cisco box in one/more of their solutions. So couldn’t Cisco penetrate the WiMAX in their previous stratgey. I believe this is a decision that Cisco will lament.