Linksys Wins Race to 100 Million Router Sales, Sets Sites on Connecting Cuba

[[Coi] Mr.CLuBBeR]

Remarkable 15-year run

Linksys today announced that it has sold over 100 million wired and wireless routers around the world. No other company has crossed the 100 million mark in router sales, a milestone that took Linksys just over 15 years to accomplish. As a pioneer in the router market, the company's first consumer grade product was the BEFSR41, a cable/DSL routers with a built-in 4-port switch.
Fast forward to today and it's a much different landscape than it was back in 1999. Smartphones are prevalent and, more recently, the Internet of Things (IoT) category is growing at a breakneck pace -- give it a bit of time and even your toaster might one day be connected to the Internet.
“The 100 million milestone of any product is something to celebrate,” said Mike Chen, vice president, product management, Linksys. “For a router to hit this accomplishment in the same company as smartphones, game consoles, MP3 players, tablets and e-readers, shows how crucial sharing an internet connection has become. When Linksys introduced the first consumer grade router at Comdex in 1999, we never would have imagined it would have such a critical role for connecting the Internet of Things in the home.”
If you have a PDF reader handy, you can view a timeline of products Linksys has put out through the years. Arguably the most popular of the bunch is the WRT54GL, essentially a revision of the WRT54G but with more RAM to accommodate third-party firmware.
Linksys brought back the aesthetic design of the WRT54G/WRT54GL with the release of the WRT1900AC, our current pick for the Wi-Fi Router category in our Best of the Best list, and the recipient of a 9-verdict + KickAss award when we reviewed it a few months ago.
Going forward, Linksys is kicking off a Link Your World campaign with the goal of connecting people in Cuba with the rest of the rest of the world.
"There is an opportunity here to develop and drive growth within Cuba," said Linksys CEO Chet Pipkin. "We believe that recent policy changes make this effort more viable, and we look forward to working with our industry partners and government officials to achieve this important goal."
The iniative will include interactive programs and contests on the company's website and across its social media sites, along with retailers. So keep your eyes peeled on ways to win free gear.
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