Broadband wireless vendor ArrayComm Inc. has lost its president and CEO, Sam Endy, to WiMax chipset hopeful TeleCIS Wireless Inc.

Endy is to fill the same role at the 802.16 silicon startup, only seventeen months after accepting the top position at ArrayComm. In September 2003 Endy was appointed CEO of ArrayComm when wireless industry pioneer Martin Cooper announced his decision to step down (see ArrayComm Switches Heads). Endy had worked at the vendor since September 1999.

"I started the position on February 15th and left ArrayComm on the Friday before," Endy tells Unstrung. "It came out of the blue."

The surprise appointment of Endy is certain to boost TeleCIS’s chances of success in the 802.16 silicon market. As noted in a company statement, Endy “recently oversaw ArrayComm’s smart antenna technology entry into the WiMax market,” a move reported to involve market giant Intel Corp. (Nasdaq: INTC). (See ArrayComm Preps WiMax Move.)

TeleCIS has been busy talking up its potential to compete in the WiMax market despite a relatively late market entry and dearth of signed customers, claiming its MIMO-supporting 802.16 silicon will enable equipment manufacturers to save up to 50 percent on production costs (see TeleCIS Maxes on MIMO).

"We were getting involved in WiMax at ArrayComm... and when I saw the team at TeleCIS it seemed like a great opportunity for me," says Endy.

ArrayComm could not be reached for comment.

— Justin Springham, Senior Editor, Europe, Unstrung