By David Richards and Wire Services | Wednesday | 20/06/2007
Cisco wants to become a common old household name synonymous with great home entertainment and communication, the company's Chief Executive has said. He has also confirmed the Linksys name is heading for the bin.
Chairman and Chief Executive John Chambers, speaking at a press conference during the NXTcomm telecommunications industry trade show, pointed to the opportunity in managing the complexities of all of the connected devices in the home. Cisco has made several moves to position itself into the consumer market. It revamped its logo and focused on getting its name out in popular shows such as "24." The company has pushed its Linksys home router business to consumers and the small and medium business segments. But critics say a lack of experience in the consumer market may hinder progress. "How many people from Cisco consumer come from Levi Strauss, McDonald's, or a mass retailer? Probably not many," said Carl Gressum, an analyst at research firm Ovum.
