Gigle Networks was a fabless semiconductor company that specialized in the design and development of high‑performance system‑on‑chip (SoC) semiconductor devices and intelligent switching technology for home networking, IPTV, consumer electronics, and smart‑grid applications. The company operated from multiple locations, including Barcelona, Spain; Edinburgh, United Kingdom; and Redwood City, California, United States.
History
Founded in 2005 by Juan Carlos Riveiro, Jed Hurwitz, Hakan Fouren, and Mike Wilson, Gigle Networks secured venture‑capital financing in two rounds: a Series A round of US $11 million in January 2006 led by Accel Partners and Pond Venture Partners, followed by a Series B round of US $20 million in November 2007 led by Scottish Equity Partners with continued participation from Accel and Pond.
In December 2006 the company announced a successful trial achieving 1 Gbit/s physical‑layer throughput over home wiring. Gigle participated actively in industry standards bodies, including IEEE P1901, ITU‑T G.hn, the HomePlug Powerline Alliance (as a board member), the HomeGrid Forum (as a co‑founder), the Home Gateway Initiative, and the Broadband Forum.
Acquisition
In December 2010, Broadcom Corporation acquired Gigle Networks for approximately US $75 million. Following the acquisition, the Gigle brand and its product lines were integrated into Broadcom’s broader portfolio of networking and semiconductor solutions.
Products and Technology
Gigle’s product portfolio comprised SoC solutions that enabled high‑speed data transmission over existing electrical power lines (power‑line communication) and other home‑network media. Its offerings targeted applications such as multimedia streaming, high‑definition video distribution, and smart‑grid communication. The company’s technology emphasized multi‑PHY (physical‑layer) switching and support for emerging home‑network standards.
Status
After the Broadcom acquisition, Gigle Networks ceased to exist as an independent entity. Its technologies and engineering assets continue to influence Broadcom’s home‑network and broadband product lines.
References
- Wikipedia entry “Gigle Networks” (accessed April 2026).
- EE Times, “Gigle achieves 1‑Gbps bandwidth over home wires,” December 5 2006.
- Broadcom press releases, December 2010 acquisition announcement.