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1999-2003 Manager R&D dept.

1991-1998 Business Development Mgr.

1988-1991 Hardware Development Engineer

1985-1987 HW dev.eng.

1982-1985 HW dev.eng.

1980-1981 HW dev.eng.

1977-1980 HW dev.eng.

1975-1977 HW dev.eng.


 

 


Cellware Berlin 1991 - 1998

I was one of the founders of Cellware in 1991 and helped to build the company up until, after my departure, it was sold to Adva. My achievements there always reflected successful teamwork. Please think of the excellent team which provided the basis for what follows. As usual in small companies, I had many roles.

Product Marketing

I talked constantly to potential customers about their broadband needs. It was always best, of course, to find ways of using existing products but, if appropriate, I discussed realistic changes to existing products to better match customer requirements. Such discussions always include the business case to justify the project. As I left the company, I had been focussing on DVB over ATM & the company had developed a good range of products, including AES-EBU audio over ATM products, aimed at radio-stations.

Product Management

I managed a number of products. This meant identifying opportunities for products and specifying exact, achievable goals for the development team in realistic time-scales. Constant comparative analysis was required to ensure that products were well placed in the market. One of the more successful actions was at CeBIT, suggesting the modification of a 4 port ATM switch into a 64 port distribution unit for Video On Demand (VOD), working together with nCUBE. Until that sort of VOD faded away, the distribution units became Cellware's most profitable product line, as they were installed in VOD/ADSL trials around the world.

Marketing & Communication

I designed the original company logo, data-sheets, manuals and various marketing materials. These varied from very technical specifications through to lighter presentations designed to explain new concepts to prospective customers unaware of the potential advantages. A little humour often helps to break down fear of the unknown. I was flattered to see a Japanese semiconductor manufacturer plagiarise my "pocket guide" to ATM. I held presentations in English and German for potential customers, at technical fairs/exhibitions, at events run by distributors and occasionally at universities. My presentations were usually quite popular as I can present complex material in a digestible way. (example Cellware web-page)

The Internet

I designed the company web-site and filled it with content. This was much praised. Since I left, this has been completely reworked by a Berlin graphic design company, so I'm afraid my work is no longer accessible.

The Database

I designed and implemented the company data-base using Filemaker. These days you might call it a CRM system. This fully integrated system managed names and addresses, correspondence, price lists, quotations, orders, invoices, timesheets, forecasts, summaries and so on. This was conceived for an internationally operating company, producing documents in English or German as appropriate in whatever currency was required.

Project Leader

I led the development of the hardware & software for a high speed (140 Mbit/s) Frame-Relay switch. This was initiated by the owner of the company. After gathering information from the marketplace, I recommended the termination of this project to focus on the company's core competency - ATM.

I then concentrated on a contract from Deutsche Telekom for the development of an SMDS to ATM adapter. This contract was split between two manufacturers and I am pleased to say that our product proved to be much faster than the competitors and was also delivered one year ahead of theirs.

Project meeting in Brandenburg

EEC financed projects

I originally acquired and then helped coordinate Cellware's work on a European Community financed multinational research project into ATM. This was an interesting experiment into network topologies & technologies suitable for a domestic ATM network. It involved co-operation with a number of companies spread all across Europe.

Reference

Kim Booth, born 21st October 1953 in Birmingham, England, was one of the founders of Cellware in Berlin in 1991. He had many different roles whilst building the company up.
 
Mr. Booth designed the original company logo as well as the corporate image for all documents such as fax, headed letter paper, data-sheets, manuals and presentation materials. It is thanks to him that, right from the beginning, Cellware was an internationally oriented enterprise. A vital element was the company-wide acceptance of English documentation.
 
Mr. Booth designed Cellware's Internet presence and continually extended it. As a broadband engineer, he could make good use of his extensive, well-founded technical knowledge whilst producing material for the Internet. In this way he succeeded in installing Cellware's web-site as a strategic marketing instrument, making Cellware known worldwide for its technology and products. The "ATM Pocket Guide" which he developed became a work of reference, which other companies copied. Most of the data-sheets and manuals for the Cellware products were designed and written by him and illustrated with his own drawings.

Mr. Booth used Filemaker to define the commercial processes and interactive forms for orders, quotations, invoices, reminders and so on. These were all tailor-made and continually maintained and improved to match growing requirements. Ultimately a fully integrated information system resulted, which was used by everyone in the company.

The basis for Cellware's ATM technology was the participation in European Community financed research projects such as RACE. He was a coordinator in several projects such as DCPN and BUNI. Within the DCPN project, Cellware produced a passive ATM multiplexer. Mr. Booth was responsible for the original acquisition of this project after an Italian partner withdrew from the consortium.

During the acquisition of the TA-LAN project contract from Deutsche Telekom in 1992, he played a substantial role in the preparation of Cellware's proposal.

Mr. Booth conceived a broadband Frame-Relay project, FATS (Frame-Relay Asynchronous Transfer System), led the project and, after a year of development, he recommended the cancellation of the work. This recommendation was accepted so that Cellware could concentrate on its core competency ATM.

Mr. Booth was responsible for the technical concept of Cellware's Video On Demand product. After an initial discussion at a trade-fair, customer visits followed, which led to a very successful cooperation with nCUBE USA.

In his function as Business Development Manager, he worked very closely with the management. His influence determined many partial aspects of the company strategy such as personnel development and systems development. Within the team he earned a high degree of confidence and respect. He was much in demand in the conception and design phases as well. He was valued and appreciated by his colleagues.

Following his move into the company management, he concentrated more on marketing. In this, he could impressively demonstrate his years of experience even in very complex technical discussions. As the product manager of important new developments, he always strived to meet the given marketing goals. The quality of his work met high demands.

Stamped with his English humour, his technical competence and the ability to explain complex material in an understandable way, his presentations at training days, technical congresses and trade fairs were popular.

Mr. Booth left the company, at his own choice, on 31.December 1998. We would like to thank him for the work that he did for us and we wish him lots of luck in his continuing professional and private life.

Berlin, 30.12.1998

Cellware Breitband Technologie GmbH

Ulrich Mohr
General Manager