Reports: Motorola STB biz sees P.E. bids

Reuters reported Friday that Motorola's set-top box business, part of its Home and Networks Mobility unit, has drawn several acquisition bids from private equity firms. Companies such as Arris Group also may be interested, according to the Reuters story. Just a few weeks ago, Motorola said that it expected the HNM unit and the market-leading STB business to have a stronger year in 2010, regardless of how quickly the housing market bounces back.

There is still a chance that Motorola, in the midst of broader restructuring, could decide to keep the unit. The company reiterated its commitment to the STB market late last month when rumors of the unit's sale hit a fever pitch. The company in many ways is seen as the old guard of an STB sector that is changing rapidly and may migrate far from the traditional cable TV rental model, potential to hybrid TV/Internet STBs that could be available via retail. For that reason, and because the IPTV segment continues to create new STB opportunities, some observers have wondered if selling out would be the best move for Motorola.

For more:
- Reuters has this story

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Motorola last month restated support for the STB market