What Escape Communications does

Escape Communications is a privately held US designer and manufacturer of advanced wireless and satellite communications hardware, founded in 1998 and headquartered in Torrance, California. The company builds FPGA-based modem modules, indoor units (IDUs), reference designs, and protected satellite communications equipment serving two end markets: the US Department of Defense and aerospace primes, and commercial telecommunications OEMs. Its technology centers on a proprietary "Gigaband" digital signal processing architecture that implements multi-gigabit-per-second wireless modems in low-cost FPGAs, demonstrated commercially in 2016 with the world's first low-cost 10 Gbps telecommunications backhaul modem and in defense applications through the AEHF-validated protected communications modem — a capability no other small business holds.

The product portfolio spans terrestrial point-to-point backhaul (ESM5008 and ESM20008 mmWave/E-band modem modules, ESM11212 licensed-band modem, EXM2-series split-mount IDUs, ESM-KIT reference design integrated with Filtronic RF modules), commercial satellite ground terminals (HDX-10G and HDX-9000 DVB-S2(X)-compliant satcom gateway demodulators, MXDX-1200 mux-demux/packet processor), and protected military SATCOM (AEHF modem and data formatter, PTS high-rate digital downconverter). Escape operates a direct enterprise sales motion with no public pricing or e-commerce channels; revenue is generated through hardware sales and project-based custom platform development, with go-to-market support from industry events including IMS and European Microwave Week. Certifications include ISO 9001:2015, NIST SP 800-171, and DCMA-approved accounting.

The company is led by co-founders Michael Stewart (CEO) and Gregory Caso, PhD (CTO) — both formerly of TRW Electronics and Space Division — alongside VP Engineering James Nadeau. It is privately held with no disclosed institutional funding or external investors, and concentrates its R&D on high-rate wireless signal processing with 13 patents attributed to the CTO.

Name

Escape Communications

Legal name

Escape Communications, Inc

Website

https://escapecom.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1998

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Escape Communications is a private Torrance, California designer and manufacturer of FPGA-based wireless and satellite communications modems serving the US military and commercial telecom customers, with unique capability in AEHF-validated protected SATCOM hardware.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Torrance

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

Personnel, Technology or R&D, Operations, Supply Chain, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Hardware Sales: Sale of advanced wireless communications solutions including modem modules, rackmount Indoor Units (IDUs), and complete terminal reference designs to military and commercial customers
2. Customized Platform Development: Quick turn-around, cost-effective custom solutions solving difficult wireless communications problems for military and commercial customers, likely project-based

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

Escape Communications designs, produces and sells advanced wireless communications hardware — including FPGA-based modem modules, rackmount Indoor Units (IDUs), and complete terminal reference designs — for military satellite communications and commercial telecom backhaul. The company also provides customized wireless platform development services for military and commercial customers solving difficult signal-processing problems.

Product overview

Escape Communications is a specialized manufacturer of advanced wireless communications solutions consisting of terrestrial modem modules, satellite communications gateway modems, and protected military satellite modems. The product portfolio includes: ESM-series mmWave/E-band modem modules (ESM5008 at 2.7 Gbps, ESM20008 at 10 Gbps) and licensed-band modem modules (ESM11212 at 1 Gbps) for terrestrial point-to-point wireless communications; split-mount Indoor Units (EXM2-LL ultra low-latency, EXM2-Le traditional) for microwave backhaul; ESM-KIT reference design integrating Filtronic radio modules for OEM terminal development; HDX-series DVB-S2(X) compliant satcom gateway demodulators (HDX-10G) for commercial satellite communications; MXDX-1200 high-capacity mux-demux and packet processor as a companion to HDX modems; and AEHF modem and data formatter for protected military satellite communications.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• AEHF Modem and Data Formatter Protected communications modems and associated data formatting electronics and signal processing for AEHF fixed ground, mobile ground, and airborne terminals; the only small-business-developed AEHF protected communications modem validated against the on-orbit AEHF satellite system.
• ESM5008 Modem Module mmWave/E-band modem module with 500 MHz bandwidth, 2.7 Gbps throughput, QPSK to 256QAM with Adaptive Coding and Modulation, 10GBASE-X interface, built-in 4PPoE, IEEE1588v2 and SyncE, managed via web GUI, SNMP, or telnet/SSH.
• ESM20008 Modem Module mmWave/E-band modem module with 2 GHz bandwidth, 10 Gbps throughput, QPSK to 256QAM with Adaptive Coding and Modulation, IEEE1588v2 and SyncE support, and out-of-band management via web GUI, SNMP, or telnet/SSH.
• ESM-KIT Reference Design Kit Reference design kit for ESM5008 and ESM20008 modem modules, including mechanical design files and management software that integrates Filtronic Ltd. Orpheus and Morpheus E-band modules into complete E-band radio terminal OEM solutions.
• ESM11212 Licensed-Band Modem Module Licensed-band modem module with 112 MHz bandwidth, 1 Gbps throughput, QPSK to 4KQAM with Adaptive Coding and Modulation, built-in PoE+, IEEE1588v2 and SyncE, managed via web GUI, SNMP, or telnet/SSH.
• EXM2-LL Ultra Low-Latency Split-Mount Indoor Unit Split-mount microwave indoor unit delivering ultra-low-latency performance with 28 and 30 MHz bandwidths, up to 170 Mbps modem, 256QAM capable, fully managed via web GUI, SNMP, or telnet/SSH; targeted at latency-sensitive backhaul applications.
• EXM2-Le Traditional Split-Mount Indoor Unit Traditional split-mount microwave indoor unit with 3-30 MHz bandwidths, 170 Mbps modem, 256QAM capable, built-in layer-2 switch, fully managed via web GUI, SNMP, or telnet/SSH.
• HDX-10G DVB-S2(X) SATCOM Gateway Modem DVB-S2(X) compliant SATCOM gateway modem unit with SW-configurable MODCOD types from QPSK to 32APSK, LDPC forward error correction, fully managed via SNMP, and field-upgradeable firmware.
• MXDX-1200 Mux-Demux and Packet Processor High-capacity 10 Gbps flexible multiplexer/demultiplexer and packet processor compatible with HDX DVB-S2(X) Satcom Gateway demodulators, featuring ten 10GBASE SFP+ ports and eighteen 1GBASE SFP ports, with management via web GUI, SNMP, and SSH/telnet.
• Customized Wireless Platform Development Quick-turnaround, cost-effective custom development services that solve difficult wireless communications problems for military and commercial customers, leveraging Escape's signal processing IP library and FPGA expertise.

Quantifiable outcome

• World's first commercial low-cost 10 Gbps modem for telecommunications backhaul (2016)
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers4 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature6 records

Partnerships

Seven partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.

• Intel LabsminorGTM or Marketing Partner · 6 June 2017Joint participation in 5G Executive Panel Discussion at IMS2017 alongside Global Foundries, Kwikbit, and Keysight Technologies. Michael Stewart presented Escape's views on 5G Backhaul.
• Global FoundriesminorGTM or Marketing Partner · 6 June 2017Joint participation in 5G Executive Panel Discussion at IMS2017 alongside Intel Labs, Kwikbit, and Keysight Technologies.
• KwikbitminorGTM or Marketing Partner · 6 June 2017Joint participation in 5G Executive Panel Discussion at IMS2017 alongside Intel Labs, Global Foundries, and Keysight Technologies.
• Keysight TechnologiesminorGTM or Marketing Partner · 6 June 2017Joint participation in 5G Executive Panel Discussion at IMS2017 alongside Intel Labs, Global Foundries, and Kwikbit.
• FiltroniccoreTechnology or Integration · 30 September 2016Strategic partnership to simplify entry into the E-band radio market. Filtronic and Escape Communications collaborated to create complete E-band backhaul solutions combining Escape's ESM5008/ESM20008 modem modules with Filtronic's Orpheus and Morpheus E-band RF modules. Partnership included reference design kit with mechanical design files and management software.
• Analog DevicescoreTechnology or Integration · 19 May 2016Joint demonstration of complete 10 Gbps E-band Radio Solution at IMS 2016. Combined Escape Communications' modem technology with Analog Devices' RF components to showcase integrated millimeter-wave backhaul solution.
• AlteracoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2013Strategic joint cooperation agreement executed in 2013 to pursue FPGA-based modems for cellular backhaul markets. Collaboration focused on leveraging Altera's FPGA technology with Escape's signal processing expertise.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Comtech Telecommunications: Comtech's Satellite & Space Communications division designs and manufactures satellite modems, amplifiers, and ground system equipment, directly overlapping with Escape's HDX-series SATCOM gateway modems and AEHF-related modem work for US military customers.
• Filtronic: Filtronic manufactures E-band and mmWave RF transceiver modules used in 5G backhaul radios; Escape's strategic partnership with Filtronic to combine their modems with Filtronic's Orpheus/Morpheus RF modules makes them a tightly-coupled peer in the E-band ecosystem.
• Kratos Defense & Security Solutions: Kratos produces microwave and SATCOM products, including protected military satellite communications and terrestrial backhaul systems, closely aligning with Escape's protected waveform and mmWave modem portfolio for DoD and aerospace primes.
• Gilat Satellite Networks: Gilat is a leading manufacturer of VSAT/satellite ground terminal modems and baseband equipment serving defense and commercial SATCOM markets, directly comparable to Escape's HDX DVB-S2 gateway modems and ground terminal offerings.
• Aviat Networks: Aviat Networks specializes in microwave point-to-point backhaul radios for telecom carriers, directly comparable to Escape's ESM-series E-band modem modules and EXM-series indoor units for cellular and enterprise backhaul.
• Ceragon Networks: Ceragon designs wireless backhaul solutions including high-capacity mmWave and microwave radios for telecom operators, overlapping with Escape's multi-gigabit terrestrial wireless modem modules for cellular backhaul.

Broad incumbents

• RTX (Raytheon): RTX through Collins Aerospace and Raytheon produces military satellite terminals, protected waveforms, and space electronics; a broad incumbent that competes with Escape in protected military satellite communications ground segments.
• ViaSat: ViaSat manufactures satellite modems, ground terminals, and full SATCOM systems for defense and commercial customers, competing in the same DVB-S2/commercial satcom space as Escape's HDX line but at much larger scale and broader portfolio.
• L3Harris Technologies: L3Harris is a major defense prime with extensive protected military satellite communications, electronic warfare, and tactical radio product lines, positioning it as a broader incumbent competing for the same AEHF/PTW program budgets that target Escape.
• Ultra Electronics: Ultra Electronics (now part of Cobham) designs tactical communications and protected SATCOM products for allied militaries, comparable to Escape's AEHF and protected tactical waveform modem capabilities for defense customers.

Market position

Strengths1 record

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

Compliance2 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles3 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Escape Communications