Google invests in Ubiquisys

NEW YORK, US: Web search leader Google Inc. has invested in Ubiquisys Ltd., a British-based company developing equipment to improve wireless phone services in consumers' homes, Ubiquisys said.

The technology start-up said Google took part in a $25 million round of funding that included investments from existing backers Accel Partners, Atlas Venture and Advent Venture Partners.

This brings the company's total funding to $42 million, according to Ubiquisys, which said it expects to start consumer tests on its products in the second half of this year with commercial availability in the second quarter next year.

The idea is to plug Ubiquisys' so-called femtocell devices into a consumer's existing broadband Internet access equipment to create a short-range wireless link between the customer's mobile phone and the Internet to improve signal strength.

The Ubiquisys devices will work with phones based on the latest generation of GSM, the most commonly used wireless technology standard, which is widespread in Europe and other parts of the world and used by two U.S. wireless providers.

Ubiquisys has been in talks with most of the major European wireless service providers about resale deals, according to spokeswoman Madelyn Smith Orfitelli, who said the company has also talked with service providers in Japan.

It has had preliminary talks with U.S. service providers, the spokeswoman said.

U.S. providers AT&T Inc. and T-Mobile USA, owned by Deutsche Telekom, support GSM.