PLAYA VISTA, Calif. — Belkin, a maker of smart-phone cases and computing accessories, said that it is buying the home networking business unit of Cisco, including the Linksys router brand.
Privately held Belkin, based in Playa Vista, Calif., did not disclose the purchase price Thursday, nor did Cisco Systems Inc. The deal is expected to close in March.
Belkin intends to maintain the Linksys brand, as well as honor warranties on current and future Linksys products. The company said that after the acquisition, it will account for about 30 percent of the U.S. retail, home and small-business networking market.
Cisco has been moving away from products it sells directly to consumers, and it laid out a strategy last month to become a leading supplier of information technology to big businesses.
In 2011, it shuttered its consumer-oriented Flip video camera business. Last year, it bought NDS Group Ltd., a U.K. software firm that helps cable and satellite TV companies deliver content to subscribers’ digital video recorders, tablets, smart phones and other devices.
Hilton Romanski, a Cisco vice president, said that Belkin and Cisco will continue to have a strategic relationship in dealing with service providers.
“We are confident that we have found the best buyer in Belkin,” he said. “We look forward to witnessing Belkin’s growth as they bring Linksys into their family.”
Business, Pages 22 on 01/28/2013