Vasona Networks said it has raised $14.6 Million in venture capital in a third round of funding for its mobile network infrastructure business.
Mobile network operators are grappling with massive demand for data services, and Vasona hopes to relieve that congestion. San Jose, Calif.-based Vasona Networks was founded in 2010 to make devices and software that enable mobile network operators (like AT&T and Verizon Wireless) to fine-tune all the traffic happening on their networks, down to each cell.
The company’s products allocate bandwidth on mobile networks based on where it needs to go. So, for example, if someone is watching Netflix over LTE 4G, the Vasona technology gives that person more bandwidth that isn’t being used by the text-messaging teen down the street.
The company has raised $48 million to date, and its technology is being used in four of the world’s largest cities. One customer is Telefonica UK in the London O2 wireless system.
Participants in the funding round include Bessemer Venture Partners, New Venture Partners and NexStar Partners.
“Vasona Networks is succeeding with solutions that improve the bottom line for mobile network operators at a time when budgets are under heavy scrutiny and competition is stronger than ever,” says Bob Goodman, a partner at Bessemer Venture Partners and member of Vasona Networks’ board of directors, in a statement. “This new financing underscores Vasona Networks’ mobile edge leadership and provides foundation to continue bringing innovations to market, expand deployments and pursue new opportunities.”
The company is also working with customers to address emerging challenges, like rapidly rising encryption of video and data traffic which poses management challenges that can negatively impact network efficiency.
“We are working with the world’s top mobile network operators on pressing and emerging needs, including the constant pursuit of better mobile experiences,” says Vasona Networks CEO Biren Sood, in a statement. “As operators turn their focus to edge-based traffic management for the most value, flexibility and control, our capabilities best meet business and network demands in any market.”
Vasona’s platforms leverage edge locations between core and radio access networks, which is a key position for precise traffic management and monitoring at scale. Vasona assesses each cell’s conditions and acts on congestion in real time, taking into account the cause and the subscriber’s location.