SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
WASHINGTON, D.C. 20549
FORM 10-K
x ANNUAL REPORT PURSUANT TO SECTION 13 OR 15(d) OF THE SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934
FOR THE FISCAL YEAR ENDED DECEMBER 31, 2002
OR
o TRANSITION REPORT PURSUANT TO SECTION 13 OR 15(d) OF THE SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934
FOR THE TRANSITION PERIOD FROM [________________] TO [________________]
COMMISSION FILE NUMBER: 000-28217
AIRNET COMMUNICATIONS CORPORATION
(Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)
| DELAWARE (State or other jurisdiction of incorporation or organization) |
59-3218138 (I.R.S. Employer Identification No.) |
| 3950 DOW ROAD, MELBOURNE, FLORIDA (Address of principal executive offices) |
32934 (Zip Code) |
REGISTRANTS TELEPHONE NUMBER, INCLUDING AREA CODE:
(321) 984-1990
NONE
SECURITIES REGISTERED PURSUANT TO SECTION 12(g) OF THE ACT:COMMON STOCK, PAR VALUE $.001 PER SHARE
(TITLE OF CLASS)
Indicate by check mark whether the registrant (1) has filed all reports required to be filed by Section 13 or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 during the preceding 12 months (or for such shorter period that the registrant was required to file such reports), and (2) has been subject to such filing requirements for the past 90 days. Yes x No o
Indicate by check mark if disclosure of delinquent filers pursuant to Item 405 of Regulation S-K is not contained herein, and will not be contained, to the best of registrants knowledge, in definitive proxy or information statements incorporated by reference in Part III of this Form 10-K or any amendment to this Form 10-K. o
Indicate by check x whether the registrant is an accelerated filer (as defined in Rule 12b-2 of the Exchange Act.) Yes o No x
The aggregate market value of shares held by non-affiliates as of June 28, 2002, the last business day of the registrants most recently completed second fiscal quarter, was $11,111,243 (based on a closing price on June 28, 2002 on Nasdaq of $0.79 per share). As of March 10, 2003, 23,851,177 shares of the Registrants Common Stock were outstanding.
DOCUMENTS INCORPORATED BY
REFERENCE:
NONE
TABLE OF CONTENTS
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DESCRIPTION |
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PART I |
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PART II |
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Market for Registrants Common Equity and Related Stockholder Matters |
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Managements Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations |
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Changes in and Disagreements with Accountants on Accounting and Financial Disclosure |
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PART III |
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Security Ownership of Certain Beneficial Owners and Management |
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PART IV |
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Exhibits, Financial Statement Schedule, and Reports on Form8-K |
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2
TRADEMARK AND TRADE NAMES
AirNet®, AdaptaCell®, AirSite®, Backhaul Free and SuperCapacity are trademarks of AirNet Communications Corporation.
All other trademarks, service marks and/or trade names appearing in this document are the property of their respective holders.
In this document, the words we, our, ours, and us refer only to AirNet Communications Corporation and not any other person or entity.
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PART I
ITEM 1. BUSINESS
OVERVIEW
We were incorporated in Delaware in 1994 as Overture Systems, Inc. and changed our name to AirNet® Communications Corporation later that year.
We began marketing our GSM base stations in the beginning of 1996 and shipped our first GSM base station in May 1997. Through December 31, 2002, our base stations were being used in twenty-two deployed systems. We currently sell and market our products in the U.S. through our direct sales force. Internationally, we sell our products through our direct sales force, as well as through agents, resellers, and original equipment manufacturers (OEMs).
From our inception in January 1994 through May 1997, our operations consisted principally of start-up activity associated with the design, development, and marketing of our products. We did not generate significant revenues until 1998 and have generated $98.2 million in net revenues from our inception through December 31, 2002. We have incurred substantial losses since commencing operations, and as of December 31, 2002, we had an accumulated deficit of $225.4 million. We have not achieved profitability on a quarterly or annual basis. As we continue to build our customer and revenue base, we expect to continue to incur net losses at least through 2003. We will need to generate significantly higher revenues in order to support research and development, sales and marketing and general and administrative expenses, and to achieve and maintain profitability. See Liquidity, Capital Resources and Going Concern in Item 7.
We provide base stations and other wireless telecommunications infrastructure products designed to support the GSM, or Global System for Mobile Communications, system of mobile voice and data transmission. We market our products worldwide to operators of wireless networks and to certain military and public safety organizations. A base station is a key component of a wireless network that receives and transmits voice and data signals over radio frequencies. We designed our base stations to be easier to deploy and upgrade and to have lower operating costs than other existing base stations.
Our system features two innovative base station products: Our AdaptaCell® base station is a software-defined base station, meaning it uses software to control the way it encodes or decodes wireless signals. Our AdaptaCell base station incorporates a proprietary radio architecture that is designed to enable operators to upgrade their wireless networks to offer high-speed data and Internet services by changing software with few, if any, hardware modifications rather than deploying new base stations. Our AdaptaCell base station also incorporates a broadband architecture, meaning that it uses only one radio to process a large number of radio channels. This broadband architecture also makes this base station an ideal platform to deliver integrated software algorithms that will permit the addition of an adaptive array antenna feature. Adaptive array technology focuses radio signals on individual handset antennas instead of spreading the signals over the entire cell covered by one base station as well as blocks to strongest interference which significantly increases performance, capacity and high speed data rates.
Our AirSite® Backhaul Free base station carries voice and data signals back to the wireline network without using a physical wired communications link. Our AirSite Backhaul Free base station uses an operators existing radio frequencies as the media to provide the necessary connection to the wireline network. Unlike our competitors base stations, our AirSite Backhaul Free base station does not require an expensive physical communications link, usually through a digital T-1/E-1 telephone line or microwave, to the wireline network. As a result, an operators fixed network operating costs may significantly decrease.
Like other wireless infrastructure suppliers, we have experienced the adverse effects of the global downturn in telecommunications infrastructure spending. We have historically relied upon an integrated suite of infrastructure products for all our sales a product line that was optimized to meet the needs of the initial-coverage and coverage-limited segments of the wireless infrastructure market. These are market segments where we believe our products enjoy a competitive advantage. Unfortunately, the slowdown in infrastructure spending has adversely affected demand in all segments of the infrastructure market.
In response, we undertook a major restructuring starting in June of 2001 to better leverage our technology base and entrepreneurial culture to target new market opportunities for our GSM products. We have redirected our activities to focus in four interrelated areas: our adaptive array technology for our AdaptaCell SuperCapacity base station; our traditional GSM infrastructure market; the growing market for secure, adaptable wireless infrastructure for governmental and public safety applications; and the rapidly emerging GSM 850 market for migration of IS-136 networks to GSM and high-speed data.
The government and public safety market includes radio communications needs for local, state, and federal government agencies, foreign governments and military communications. Our AdaptaCell software-defined radio (SDR) and AirSite products provide flexible and unique communications platforms capable of supporting these applications.
AirNet continues to make progress in the development of its SuperCapacity AdaptaCell base station utilizing adaptive array technology. We expect to deploy in the second half of 2003. This new base station is built on our current software-defined AdaptaCell base station platform using adaptive array technology. Adaptive array technology dramatically increases the operators spectral efficiency resulting in tremendous increases in network performance at a reduced cost by focusing radio signals on individual handset antennas instead of spreading them over the entire cell and canceling or blocking the strongest interference. This new base station is designed to benefit operators in the transition from current wireless standards to the new GPRS (providing high-speed wireless data in packet format) and Enhanced Data rates for GSM Evolution (or EDGE, providing yet higher speed) standards. In December 2002 and January 2003, several customers, potential customers and wireless experts participated in drive testing a multi-cell GSM network utilizing the AirNet SuperCapacity base station. Specifically, the test
4
demonstrated multiple, adjacent adaptive array cell sites with multiple co-channel interferers, and demonstrated a frequency reuse scheme of N=1 incorporating high-speed hand-overs. N=1 frequency reuse is an important feature for network operators in that it allows simultaneous multiple users on the same timeslot, on the same frequency, in adjacent cells, previously not possible in GSM networks. This feature enables previously unattainable capacity improvements and dramatically reduces the need to add cell sites in order to meet increasing subscriber counts and higher speed data requirements, such as EDGE . We plan to market the N=1 frequency reuse feature by targeting GSM carriers who are faced with limited spectrum in many markets, need to increase capacity, and/or are introducing EDGE into their networks. There are risks associated with new product introductions and some of these risks are outlined in the risk factors set forth in Item 7 below and elsewhere in this document.
The IS-136 technology is the basis of the TDMA cellular and Personal Communications Services (PCS) air interfaces. The IS-136 systems allow telecommunications companies to offer advanced personal wireless communications features and services to subscribers while maintaining backward compatibility for their existing analog (AMPS) system customer bases. Service operators that provide IS-136 air interface services are compelled to transition their networks to 2.5 or 3G services such as GPRS , EDGE and WideBand CDMA in order to provide high-speed data services and to remain compatible with Cingular and ATT Wireless, which have announced plans to migrate their IS-136 networks to GSM/GPRS/EDGE. In order to continue to share in roaming revenues offered by users of these nationwide networks, other IS-136 operators must follow suit. We offer customers a cost effective method to migrate their IS-136 networks leveraging the value proposition of the AdaptaCell software defined base station and AirSite base stations to provide an alternate GSM 850 network that shares the spectrum of existing IS-136 networks.
Our portfolio of broadband SDR technology and our entrepreneurial tradition lend themselves to exploiting numerous new opportunities in the wireless arena. We believe these new opportunities driven by recent developments both inside and outside the company offer a tremendous potential for immediate growth and success. SDR technology allows us to readily reprogram our wireless infrastructure products to address new markets and new opportunities in a cost effective manner. The development and acceptance of SDR technology in the marketplace has created new opportunities for us outside our core industry. Due to our significant portfolio of basic SDR intellectual property, it is now possible for us to explore licensing our technology in a variety of applications to third parties. Previously, the only potential licensees for our technology were our wireless infrastructure competitors.
We continue to develop and exploit leading edge technology and as of December 31, 2002, we had 50 domestic patents granted, and 18 patent applications pending. We received the 1998 GSM World Award for Best Technical Innovation from the GSM Association, an international body with members from over 150 countries, in recognition of our innovative infrastructure.
On October 23, 2002 we received certification under the ISO 9001:2000 standard. ISO 9001:2000 is the globally recognized standard for QMS aimed at consistently producing and delivering the highest quality products and services necessary to achieve complete customer satisfaction.
PRODUCTS
Our base station subsystem products currently support the GSM system for wireless voice and data communications services. We chose to develop products based on this standard both because it is the leading accepted standard in the world and because the interfaces, or connections, between the various pieces that make up the GSM base station subsystem are well defined and publicly documented. One of these interfaces, the connection between the mobile switching center (MSC) and the base station controller, and ultimately the base stations that compose the base station subsystem, is referred to as the A-interface. This A-interface allows wireless operators to connect our base station subsystem equipment to an existing operators mobile switching center. It is this standard interface that makes any existing GSM operator a potential customer for our base station subsystem equipment. We are currently marketing the base station subsystem in four standard configurations, the GSM-850, GSM-900, GSM-1800 and GSM-1900, operating at 850 MHz, 900 MHz, 1800 MHz and 1900 MHz respectively. Our products have been deployed with customers using the following MSC providers: Nortel, Alcatel, Lucent, Nokia, Siemens, Tecore, and Telos.
Our base station subsystem features two unique base station products: the AdaptaCell broadband, software-defined base station and the AirSite Backhaul Free base station. We also offer a Base Station Controller, a Transcoder Rate Adaption Unit, an Operations and Maintenance Center (radio), Serving GPRS Support Node (SGSN), and Gateway GPRS Support Node (GGSN).
AdaptaCell Base Station: The AdaptaCell wireless base station supports up to 12 GSM radio frequency carriers (96 total channels including 92 voice/data channels and four control channels) for up to 4 pairs of antennas (sectors). The AdaptaCell base station differs from our competitors base stations in that its operation is defined by software, not hardware. This means that as subscribers demand new services from operators, specifically new high-speed data and Internet services, it will be possible to upgrade the AdaptaCell base station to support those services via a change of software and few, if any, hardware modifications. Operators using our competitors equipment may have to install new equipment and potentially a completely new base station for each new wireless standard they adopt.
AdaptaCell SuperCapacity Base Station: We previously announced plans to introduce the AdaptaCell SuperCapacity base station which allows up to 12/12/12 (288 total channels) in only a 5MHz channel spectrum. This new base station is built on our current software-defined AdaptaCell base station platform using adaptive array technology. Adaptive array technology dramatically increases the operators spectral efficiency resulting in tremendous increases in network performance by focusing radio signals on individual handset antennas instead of spreading them over the entire cell. The new base station is designed to benefit operators in the transition from current wireless standards to the new GPRS (General Packet Radio Service) standard, providing high-speed wireless data in packet format and the EDGE Enhanced Data rates for GSM Evolution, (also known as Enhanced GPRS or EGPRS) standard, providing yet higher speed. When our development work is completed, the new base station will provide increased capacity and higher data rates without the need to deploy additional base stations, while avoiding decreases in cell coverage area.
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AirSite Backhaul Free Base Station: The AirSite Backhaul Free base station is a compact wireless base station that includes its own wireless backhaul system. By contrast, other existing base stations must be connected to the rest of the system using expensive physical communications links, usually digital T-1/E-1 telephone lines or microwave. The AirSite Backhaul Free base station is a full featured GSM base station, meaning it has a unique cell ID for billing and 911 emergency identification purposes, offers the same geographic coverage as other existing base stations, and has configuration, fault, and error detection integrated into the Operations and Maintenance Center (radio). The AirSite Backhaul Free base station operates by receiving a subscribers wireless telephone signal and transmitting it to the AdaptaCell base station. The AdaptaCell base station then sends the signal over a T-1/E-1 line or microwave to the base station controller and on to the mobile switching center. In reverse, digitized voice signals come from the mobile switching center to the base station controller and then to the serving AdaptaCell base station, which then transmits the signal to the AirSite Backhaul Free base station. The AirSite Backhaul Free base station then transmits the signal to the subscriber.
Base Station Controller: Our base station controller (BSC) coordinates the activities of the AdaptaCell base stations physically attached to it and all the AirSite Backhaul Free base stations served by those AdaptaCell base stations. Among other things, the BSC monitors the operational status of each of its attached base stations and orchestrates handoffs between base stations.
To support packet data services (i.e. GPRS and EGPRS) the BSC supports an optional packet control unit (PCU). The PCU manages distribution of packet data to and from GPRS-enabled mobile units via the base stations attached to the base station controller and GPRS network components, namely the SGSN (Serving GPRS Support Node) and GGSN (Gateway GPRS Support Node).
Transcoder Rate Adaption Unit: In most telecommunications systems, digitized voice requires 64 Kbps of bandwidth to accurately convey human speech. Our transcoder rate adaptation unit compresses a standard 64 Kbps voice stream to a GSM-standardized 16 Kbps. This means that the digital T-1/E-1 telephone line or microwave used to connect the base station controller to the mobile switching center can carry four times as many voice conversations as it normally would. This makes it less expensive to attach a base station subsystem to its associated mobile switching center. Additionally, AirNet is developing software to support adaptive multirate (AMR) speech coding. This feature increases voice capacity of GSM networks while maintaining the current high levels of voice quality.
Operations and Maintenance Center (Radio): The operations and maintenance center-radio provides the network management facility for one or more of our base station subsystems. Our operations and maintenance center (radio) provides a comprehensive graphical user interface for maintenance personnel.
In addition to the previously described products, AirNet also provides for sale other GSM network components manufactured by others in order to provide complete voice and data systems to our customers. These include the MSC, GGSN and SGSN.
Mobile Switching Center: The MSC interfaces to one or more base station controllers via the A-interface, previously mentioned. This MSC provides mobility management and switching to connect a caller on a mobile unit to a caller on another mobile unit or a caller on the wireline public switching telephone network (PSTN). The MSC supports other functions such authentication of mobile subscribers to prevent fraud. Additionally, the MSC supports features familiar to users of telephone systems such as call forwarding, call waiting, call conferencing, etc. The MSC may also interface to voice mail systems, short message service centers (SMSC), billing systems as well as other mobile switching centers.
Serving GPRS Support Node: The SGSN provides a mobility management function that tracks a GPRS mobile from one base station to another in order to route data packets to and from the mobile subscriber. The SGSN interfaces to the PCU in the base station controller and to the GGSN. Additionally, the SGSN supports other functions such as authentication of GPRS mobile subscribers as well as provides information on mobile subscriber usage for billing purposes.
Gateway GPRS Support Node: The GGSN is the gateway between the GPRS network and an external data network such as the Internet, supporting routing of data packets between the GPRS network and the external packet data network. The GGSN and SGSN may be combined into one physical unit, the GPRS Support Node (GSN).
CUSTOMERS
Each of three customers, TECORE Wireless Systems, Telsom Mobile, and MBO Cross accounted for approximately 5% or more of our revenues for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2002. Together these customers accounted for approximately 75% of our revenues for the period ended December 31, 2002. See Note 13 of Notes to Financial Statements for financial information regarding our customers.
SALES AND MARKETING
We sell and market our products in the U.S. primarily through our direct sales force. Our international sales and marketing efforts are conducted through a network of original equipment manufacturers, or OEMs, agents, resellers and our direct sales force. We currently have a staff of five in sales and sales support.
Our sales strategy depends on a delayed introduction of 3G technologies and the continued evolution of GSM/GPRS/EDGE. Sales in the North American PCS market may be impeded due to roaming considerations.
We have established a marketing communications organization that is responsible for the branding and marketing of our products and services and for distinguishing the AirSite Backhaul Free base station and AdaptaCell base station as branded product offerings. The marketing organization is responsible for all new product launches to ensure both internal execution and marketplace acceptance.
6
RESEARCH AND PRODUCT DEVELOPMENT
We spent $12,543,815 in 2002, $25,563,216 in 2001 and $29,634,807 in 2000 on research and product development. As of December 31, 2002, 57 of our 125 employees were engaged in research and product development, including hardware and software engineering. We do not expect to hire additional employees to engage in research and product development during 2003 unless such research and development is funded by strategic partners, customers or new investments. As of February 2003 we had 110 employees with 57 engaged in research and development.
Our current product development plans focus on the adaptive array technology for our AdaptaCell SuperCapacity base station, EDGE, product cost reductions and features for major operators by taking advantage of the evolution of digital signal processors and other digital components to reduce the cost of our base stations.
Ultimately, we expect to develop one or more 3G upgrade packages. We may not be able to introduce these or any other products as scheduled. In addition, market conditions may not necessitate developing upgrade packages to support one or more of these emerging 3G high-speed data standards.
Our product development strategy has been to concentrate our engineering resources on our core technology while making maximum use of third-party vendors and products for everything else. As a result, our engineering resources are primarily focused on broadband, software-defined base station technology and backhaul free base stations.
MANUFACTURING AND BACKLOG
We currently use a limited number of third-party contractors to manufacture most of our primary components and subassemblies for our products. As a result, our in-house customer fulfillment operations consist primarily of quality control, final assembly, and product integration and testing. Circuit boards, electronic and mechanical parts, and other component assemblies are purchased from OEMs and other selected vendors. An in-house staff sets standards and monitors the quality control of our contract manufacturers.
Our product backlog was approximately $4.0 million at December 31, 2002 as compared to $5.7 million at December 31, 2001. We typically include a contract in backlog when it is signed by the customer and by us and a deposit is received from the customer.
The amount of our backlog is subject to fluctuation based on the timing of the receipt and completion of orders. The amount generally consists of orders shippable within one year and deferred revenue from products that have been shipped to customers but have not yet satisfied all significant terms and conditions of the customer contract as well as revenue from contracts with vendor financing arrangements which extend beyond one year. Such conditions include completion of installation and customer acceptance of product technical performance. See Note 1 of Notes to Financial Statements for a description of our revenue recognition policy.
Our backlog at any particular date is not necessarily indicative of future revenues.
COMPETITION
The wireless telecommunications infrastructure market is highly competitive. The market for our products is characterized by rapidly changing technology, evolving industry wireless standards and frequent new product introductions and enhancements. Failure to keep pace with these changes could seriously harm our competitive position and prospects for growth. Our ability to compete depends on many factors including product and standard flexibility, price, operating cost and reliability.
Current and potential competitors consist primarily of major domestic and international companies, most of which have longer operating histories; larger installed customer bases; higher volumes; substantially greater name recognition; and greater financial, technical, manufacturing, marketing, sales and distribution resources. Competing base station vendors can be divided into two groups: existing large equipment manufacturers who supply a complete range of wireless base station systems to wireless service operators and smaller companies that typically market components of wireless systems to system suppliers or directly to operators. Our current competitors include Alcatel S.A., LM Ericsson Telephone Company, Lucent Technologies Inc., Motorola, Inc., NEC Corporation, Nokia Corporation, Nortel Networks Corporation and Siemens AG. We also face actual and potential competition not only from these established companies but from start-up and smaller companies that develop and market new wireless telecommunications products and services.
PROPRIETARY RIGHTS
We consider our technologies proprietary and seek to protect our intellectual property rights. As of December 31, 2002, we had 50 domestic patents granted, and 18 domestic patent applications pending. In addition, we are seeking patent protection for our inventions in foreign countries. One of the allowed domestic patents was based upon proprietary rights originally obtained from Harris Corporation, one of our stockholders, and is subject to a non-exclusive cross license to a third party. We also obtained from Harris Corporation a royalty-free, worldwide, non-exclusive right and license to use six other patents in the manufacture and sale of products covered by these patents. Our patents cover the basic architecture of the system, sub-components, and frequency reuse planning schemes.
Simultaneously with Motorolas equity investment in January 1995, we signed an agreement granting Motorola the right to obtain a non-exclusive, royalty-free license under any two of our patents. With respect to possible infringement of our respective digital base station patents, each of us agreed not to enjoin the other and to attempt dispute resolution, including negotiation of nonexclusive license agreements in good faith, before resorting to litigation.
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While we believe that our patents will render it more difficult for competitors to develop and market similar products, our patents may be invalidated, circumvented, or challenged. Our patent rights may fail to provide us with competitive advantages. Any pending or future patent applications, whether or not being currently challenged by applicable governmental patent examiners, may not be issued with the scope we seek.
We also rely upon copyright and trade secret laws. Source code for our own proprietary software is protected as an unpublished copyrighted work and as a trade secret.
Notwithstanding our efforts to protect our rights, it may be possible for a third party to copy or to obtain and use our intellectual property without our authorization. We may have to pursue litigation in the future to enforce our proprietary rights or to defend against claims of infringement and such litigation could result in substantial costs and diversion of resources and could seriously harm our business, operating results, and financial condition. We are not engaged in any legal proceedings concerning matters of patent infringement or enforcement; however, we are presently involved in a few minor legal proceedings involving rights in our AirNet trademark. In addition, others may develop technologies superior to our technology, duplicate our technology, or design around our patents.
GOVERNMENT REGULATION
Our products must conform to a variety of requirements and protocols. In order for our products to be used in certain jurisdictions, regulatory approval may be necessary. The delays inherent in this regulatory approval process may cause the rescheduling, postponement or cancellation of the installation of telecommunications systems by our customers, which, in turn, may significantly reduce sales of products to such customers. The failure to comply with current or future regulations or changes in the interpretation of existing regulations in a particular country could result in the suspension or cessation of sales in that country, restrictions on our development efforts and those of our customers, render current products obsolete, or increase the opportunity for additional competition. Such regulations or such changes in interpretation could require us to modify our products and incur substantial costs to comply with such regulations and changes. Products to support new services can be marketed only if permitted by frequency allocations and regulations. In most cases, we only plan to qualify our products in a foreign country once we have a purchase order from a customer located there, and this practice may deter customers or contribute to delays in receiving or filling orders.
EMPLOYEES
As of December 31, 2002, we had 125 employees. Of these individuals, 57 were in research and product development. We also had 7 independent contractors as of the same date. As of February 2003 we had 110 employees and six contractors. Of these 110 employees, 57 were employed in research and product development.
Most of our employees did not receive any merit increases in 2002 and none are expected in 2003. In January 2003 we postponed the payment of bonuses to employees and suspended the company matching contributions to the 401(K) plan. These items may create an impediment to the retention of our key employees.
None of our employees are represented by a labor union, and we believe that our relations with our employees are good. However, we cannot guarantee retention of key employees due to the issues noted above.
ITEM 2. PROPERTIES
Our headquarters consist of approximately 41,000 square feet of space leased through December 31, 2004, located at 3950 Dow Road in Melbourne, Florida. The space also houses the primary manufacturing and product engineering operation. Additional space of approximately 20,000 square feet at the Trio Complex in Melbourne, Florida, is leased through December 31, 2003 for final assembly and testing. The lease for the Dow Road facility gives us the right to terminate any time after June 2002 with a six-month notice. We believe that these facilities will be adequate to meet our requirements for the foreseeable future and that suitable additional or substitute space will be available if needed.
ITEM 3. LEGAL PROCEEDINGS
On August 14, 2001, our vendor MC Test Service, Inc. d/b/a MC Assembly and Test filed an action against us in the Circuit Court for the 18th Judicial Circuit in Brevard County, Florida alleging, among other things, breach of contract and seeking damages in the amount of $1,300,000. We filed an answer raising affirmative defenses and a counterclaim seeking damages from MC Assembly and Test in excess of $5,000,000. We believe MC Assembly and Test shipped defective products, which resulted in lost business opportunities and hampered collection of our accounts receivable. In June 2002, the Company and MC Assembly and Test entered into a settlement agreement. The terms of the settlement agreement call for performance by both parties, including the purchase of products and the satisfaction of accounts payable during the third quarter of 2002. The terms of the agreement were met during the third quarter of 2002 and the matter is considered closed by both parties. The effect of the settlement agreement is included as a gain in operating expense as reported in the accompanying financial statements for the period ended December 31, 2002.
The Company, the members of the underwriting syndicate involved in our initial public offering and two of our former officers have been named as defendants in a class action lawsuit filed on November 16, 2001 in the United States District Court for the Southern District of New York. The action, number 21 MC 92 (SAS), alleges that the defendants violated federal securities laws and seeks unspecified monetary damages and certification of a plaintiff class consisting of all persons and entities who purchased, converted, exchanged or otherwise acquired shares of our common stock between December 6, 1999 and December 6, 2000, inclusive. Specifically, the complaint charges the defendants with violations of Sections 11 and 15 of the Securities Act of 1933 and Section 10(b) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934. In substance, the allegations are that the underwriters of our initial public offering charged commissions in excess of those disclosed in the initial public offering materials and that these actions were not properly disclosed. We do not know whether the claims of misconduct by the underwriters have merit
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but at this time we believe the claims against us are without merit and intend to defend this matter when appropriate. Under the terms of our Underwriting Agreement, we have claims against the underwriters of the initial public offering for indemnification and reimbursement of all of the costs and any damages incurred in connection with this lawsuit and we intend to pursue those claims vigorously. On July 15, 2002 the Issuers Committee filed a Motion to Dismiss on behalf of all issuers and individual defendants. In February 2003, the Motion to Dismiss was granted in part (with respect to AirNet) and denied in part (with respect to all issuer defendants). Discovery in this litigation is commencing while settlement talks between the plaintiffs and the issuers continue. The claims against our two former officers named in the class action lawsuit have been dismissed without prejudice. The Company is not able to predict the impact, if any, the ultimate resolution of this lawsuit may have on its financial position or future results of operations.
In addition to the items listed above we are also involved in various claims and litigation matters arising in the ordinary course of business. With respect to these matters, we believe that we have adequate legal defenses such that the ultimate outcome will not have a material adverse effect on our future financial position or results of operations.
ITEM 4. SUBMISSION OF MATTERS TO A VOTE OF SECURITY HOLDERS
During the fourth quarter of the fiscal year covered by this report, no matter was submitted to a vote of security holders.
PART II
ITEM 5. MARKET FOR THE REGISTRANTS COMMON EQUITY AND RELATED STOCKHOLDER MATTERS
See Status of our Common Stock listing on Nasdaq National Market in Item 7.
Our common stock has been listed on the NASDAQ National Market System under the symbol ANCC since December 7, 1999. There is no established trading market for the Series B Convertible Preferred Stock and related warrants to purchase our common stock that we issued and sold in May 2001, nor is there a trading market for outstanding warrants we issued and sold in June and August 1999. The following table sets forth the high and low sales prices for our common stock as reported by NASDAQ for the periods indicated:
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LOW |
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HIGH |
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| YEAR ENDED DECEMBER 31, 2002 |
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|
|
|
| ||
| First Quarter |
|
$ |
0.42 |
|
$ |
2.98 |
|
| Second Quarter |
|
$ |
0.71 |
|
$ |
2.42 |
|
| Third Quarter |
|
$ |
0.55 |
|
$ |
1.30 |
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| Fourth Quarter |
|
$ |
0.47 |
|
$ |
1.12 |
|
| YEAR ENDED DECEMBER 31, 2001 |
|
|
|
|
| ||
| First Quarter |
|
$ |
2.00 |
|
$ |
8.88 |
|
| Second Quarter |
|
$ |
1.20 |
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$ |
3.93 |
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| Third Quarter |
|
$ |
0.07 |
|
$ |
1.60 |
|
| Fourth Quarter |
|
$ |
0.12 |
|
$ |
0.98 |
|
We had 396 stockholders of record as of February 21, 2003. This number does not include the number of persons whose stock is in nominee or in street name accounts through brokers.
We have not paid dividends and do not anticipate paying cash dividends in the foreseeable future. We have a retained earnings deficit, and we expect to retain future earnings for use in our businesses. We are accruing dividends at a rate of 8% annually on our Series B Convertible Preferred Stock, which is not publicly traded. See Note 7 to the Financial Statements for a complete explanation of this security.
ITEM 6. SELECTED FINANCIAL DATA
You should read the following selected financial information in conjunction with our financial statements and related notes and with Managements Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations included elsewhere in this report.
|
|
|
YEARS ENDED DECEMBER 31, |
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|
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|
| ||||||||||||||
|
|
|
1998 |
|
1999 |
|
2000 |
|
2001 |
|
2002 |
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|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| ||||||
| STATEMENT OF OPERATIONS DATA: |
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|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| ||||||
| Net revenues |
|
$ |
4,462 |
|
$ |
17,756 |
|
$ |
34,332 |
|
$ |
14,544 |
|
$ |
23,026 |
| |
| Cost of revenues |
|
2,679 |
|
10,981 |
|
23,902 |
|
16,717 |
|
17,415 |
| ||||||
| Write down of obsolete and excess inventory |
|
188 |
|
263 |
|
7,302 |
|
8,759 |
|
145 |
| ||||||
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| ||||||
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| ||||||
| Gross profit (loss) |
|
1,595 |
|
6,512 |
|
3,128 |
|
(10,932 |
) |
5,466 |
| ||||||
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| ||||||
| Operating expenses (gains) |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| ||||||
|
|
Research and development |
|
13,538 |
|
15,853 |
|
29,635 |
|
25,563 |
|
12,544 |
| |||||
|
|
Sales and marketing |
|
2,794 |
|
4,748 |
|
10,448 |
|
11,936 |
|
5,432 |
| |||||
|
|
General and administrative |
|
4,121 |
|
3,097 |
|
12,741 |
|
11,645 |
|
3,039 |
| |||||
| Gain on vendor settlements | |
|
|
(1,922 |
) |
(704 |
) | ||||||||||
|
|
Loss (gain) on disposal or write-down of equipment |
|
|
(5 |
) |
|
2 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| |
9
| Total operating expenses |
|
20,448 |
|
23,700 |
|
52,824 |
|
47,222 |
|
20,311 |
| |||||
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| |||||
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| |||||
| Loss from operations |
|
(18,853 |
) |
(17,188 |
) |
(49,696 |
) |
(58,154 |
) |
(14,845 |
) | |||||
| Other income (expense), net |
|
77 |
|
609 |
|
4,672 |
|
542 |
|
397 |
| |||||
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| |||||
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| |||||
| Net loss |
|
(18,776 |
) |
(16,579 |
) |
(45,024 |
) |
(57,612 |
) |
(14,448 |
) | |||||
| Accretion of discount - Series B |
|
|
|
|
|
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