三洋電機のワイヤレスブロードバンド戦略

unstrung.com を見ていたら、SOMA Networks が $50M を fund-raise したという記事が載っていた。

SOMA Scores $50M

http://www.unstrung.com/document.asp?doc_id=75571

Broadband wireless vendor SOMA Networks Inc. has scored a $50 million VC cash injection, taking its total investment raised to a massive $175 million.

＜中略＞

To date, SOMA has kept a relatively low profile in the broadband wireless space, touting only three commercial deployments: Always on Network and 3 Rivers Communications in the U.S., and Jaring in Malaysia (see 3 Rivers Deploys SOMA and SOMA Powers Jaring). Today's funding announcement, however, makes it one of the best funded broadband wireless players, eclipsing the likes of ArrayComm Inc. and Navini Networks Inc. (see ArrayComm Gets Greenbacks and Navini Nabs $30M).

The round was led by Morgan Stanley Venture Partners and Asian VC Temasek Holdings Pte. Ltd. and included investment from Endeavour Investments Ltd. and NeoCarta Ventures Inc.

ま、投資の経緯はそれはそれでいいのだけれど、記事最後の段落がちょっと気になる。

Tomorrow the vendor will announce a partnership with Sanyo Electric Co. Ltd. for the development of broadband wireless kit, following successful trial deployments, and later this month it's expected to tout further extensions to its VOIP offering.

この "successful trial deployments" というのは、三洋電機は日本で何かしているのかしら？