UTStarcom
| Company type | Public |
|---|---|
| Industry | Telecommunications equipment |
| Founded | 1991 |
| Founder | Hong Liang Lu (Unitech), Ying Wu (Starcom Networks) |
| Headquarters | Beijing , China |
Area served | Worldwide (China, Japan, India, Africa, Central and Latin America, Middle East, South Korea, Europe) |
Key people | Tim Ti (CEO), Zhaochen Huang (COO), Steven Chen (CMO) |
| Products | Telecom equipment for fixed-line and mobile carriers; broadband technologies; next-generation network (NGN) offerings |
UTStarcom Holdings Corp. () is an international telecommunications infrastructure company based in Beijing, China. Established in 1991 and publicly traded on NASDAQ since 2000, the firm designs and delivers a wide array of telecom equipment to network operators and communication service providers, including both fixed-line and mobile carriers, as well as corporate clients. While originally concentrating on markets such as China, Japan, and India, UTStarcom has since broadened its presence to regions including Africa, Central and Latin America, and the Middle East.
The company's solutions are designed to seamlessly integrate with current telecom frameworks, enabling affordable voice and data transmission over wireless (Wi-Fi) and wired networks. These products are tailored for applications such as mobile backhaul, metropolitan aggregation, broadband access, and Wi-Fi data services. By 2015, UTStarcom had streamlined its focus toward two primary sectors: broadband technologies and next-generation network (NGN) offerings.
UTStarcom operates numerous offices worldwide, featuring business and research & development hubs across China, Japan, South Korea, India, the Middle East, and Europe. The executive leadership team comprises CEO Tim Ti, COO Zhaochen Huang, and CMO Steven Chen.
History
UTStarcom originated in 1995 through the consolidation of Unitech and Starcom Networks. Unitech was founded in 1991 by Hong Liang Lu—a Chinese entrepreneur educated at UC Berkeley—with initial market efforts targeting China, Japan, the United States, and India; its first facility was established in Hangzhou, Zhejiang province. Starcom Networks also began in 1991 when Ying Wu and former Bell Labs associates in New Jersey created the company, contributing advanced telecommunications expertise.
The firm accelerated its international expansion by introducing the Personal Handy-phone System (PHS), a technology developed in Japan. UTStarcom became a publicly listed company on NASDAQ in March 2000. In July 2008, it sold its Personal Communications Division to American International Group (AIG), marking a strategic shift in its business focus.