# Catapult Communications

> Catapult Communications built software-led hardware systems that let telecom engineers simulate network devices, provoke protocol errors, and overload equipment before it reached a live network. Founded by computer scientist Richard A. Karp in Mountain View in 1985, the company sold DCT2000 and MGTS configurations to major equipment makers and operators worldwide, typically for about $50,000 to more than $250,000, before Ixia acquired it for $104.6 million in 2009 and folded its wireless testing technology into IxCatapult.

- **Founded:** 1985
- **Headquarters:** Mountain View, United States
- **Founders:** Richard A. Karp (Founder, Chairman and CEO)
- **Products:** DCT2000, MGTS, m5000 platform, Protocol modules and test suites, Training, consulting and maintenance
- **Notable:** Introduced DCT in 1985 and continuously extended it across successive telecom protocol generations., Completed an initial public offering on Nasdaq in 1999 under the ticker CATT., Acquired Tekelec's Network Diagnostics Business in 2002, adding MGTS.

## Products & services

- **DCT2000** — Linux-based digital communications test system with programmable protocol modules for feature, conformance, interoperability, load and stress testing.
- **MGTS** — Graphical multi-protocol test system acquired with Tekelec's Network Diagnostics Business; users could construct custom tests with a Protocol Adaptable State Machine.
- **m5000 platform** — High-capacity CompactPCI chassis connecting up to 18 cards for 3G load testing, first shipped to customers in 2004.
- **Protocol modules and test suites** — Configurable support for LTE, WiMAX, IMS, UMTS, cdma2000, TD-SCDMA, GPRS, GSM, CDMA, VoIP and SS7, including vendor-specific variants.
- **Training, consulting and maintenance** — On-site training, technical assistance, periodic software releases and product support sold alongside or separately from systems.

## Achievements

- Introduced DCT in 1985 and continuously extended it across successive telecom protocol generations.
- Completed an initial public offering on Nasdaq in 1999 under the ticker CATT.
- Acquired Tekelec's Network Diagnostics Business in 2002, adding MGTS.
- The m5000 platform was named a 2003 Product of the Year by Internet Telephony magazine and began customer shipments in 2004.
- Built operations across North America, Europe and Asia; 80% of fiscal 2008 sales came from outside the United States.
- Won LTE orders from original-equipment manufacturers in every major sales region by late fiscal 2008.
- Was acquired by Ixia in 2009 for $104.6 million in share consideration, or $106.6 million including options.

## Latest updates

- **2009-06** — Ixia completed the acquisition; about 95.5% of outstanding Catapult shares were tendered, and Catapult became a wholly owned subsidiary.
- **2012-02** — Ixia described IxCatapult as its product line for in-depth 2G, 3G and LTE wireless access and core-network testing, integrated with IxLoad for mobile-core testing.
- **2017-04** — Keysight completed its $1.6 billion acquisition of Ixia, bringing the successor portfolio into Keysight.
- **2021-06** — Keysight's archive lists the X800 Wireless 2U appliance as end-of-life, marking the retirement of one of the last documented IxCatapult platforms.

## Links

- Website: https://ixiacom.com
- LinkedIn: http://www.linkedin.com/company/catapult-communications

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Last updated: 2026-09-21