Smith Micro Software - Corporate History

Corporate History

In the company's early days, Smith Micro centralized its product focus on dial-up modem and fax software technology, distributing predominantly to OEM computer software/hardware manufacturers. By the early 90s, the company had become one of the leading names in its industry niche. 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 the substantially higher speed and reliability it afforded. 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 solutions became the company's primary source of revenue in the early 2000s.

In 2005, Smith Micro moved to expand its consumer product line with the acquisition of Allume Systems and their StuffIt data compression software. Shortly after the acquisition of Allume Systems, Smith Micro further expanded its market presence with the purchase of 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, though retained a central focus on network and wireless-related products.

In early 2008, the company began to expand its portfolio to help operators and enterprises meet the growing demand for 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. These solutions help operators build loyalty with subscribers and monetize data services. 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.

Over the past few years, with more media being consumed "on-demand" from rapidly evolving mobile devices such as smartphones, tablet computers, USB modems, and mobile hotspots, wireless networks are reaching capacity and operators are struggling to meet the demand. In 2011, Smith Micro announced several new solutions that extend the company's core connectivity platform to solve new problems and offer more value to mobile operators and consumers. For example, solutions such as QuickLink Hotpot Manager™, Experience Manager™, and Mobile Network Director™ are designed to make it easier for consumers to access their favorite mobile services from any device, over any network access point—seamlessly and securely—without worrying about the type of connection or authentication required.