HP Enterprise buys Athonet for its 5G portfolio
Looking to make a long-term splash in private-enterprise 5G, HPE has grabbed up Italian private cellular technology maker Athonet for an undisclosed amount.
Founded in 2005, Athonet says its goal is to speed and simplify private 5G deployments. Among other packages, it offers CBRS and 5G starter kits that include Athonet mobile packet core, SIM cards, a choice of radio and other components needed to set up private cellular networks quickly. In 2022 the company formed the 5G Consortium to bring vendors together to develop a 5G ecosystem. The group includes Google Cloud, AWS, Airspan, Bearcom, and Digi.
Athonet technology will expand HPE’s 5G portfolio, which includes private 5G equipment integrated with its Aruba Wi-Fi gear to provide the option of using the technology that best meets enterprise requirements. HPE also has integrated 5G core technology it offers to service providers.