Virata Corporation is an inactive acquired company that was a major contributor to the "Cambridge Phenomenon" or Silicon Fen high-tech cluster in the United Kingdom.

Case studies[1] and research papers[2] have been created to illustrate the role of social networking in the creation of Virata's success.

[3] It was formed in June 1993 as Advanced Telecommunication Modules Ltd, a company incorporated in the UK, as a spin-off from Olivetti Research Laboratory in Cambridge.

[5] The company description circa 1999 was: "Virata delivers highly-integrated semiconductors and communications software to Internet access equipment suppliers targeting DSL and broadband wireless devices.

Virata's systems expertise, products and support services simplify development; maximize opportunity for differentiation and speed time-to-market."

The company also became an investor - in November 2000 for example Virata joined with Intel, ARM, and others to invest in Bluetooth chip maker Cambridge Silicon Radio.

Downturns in the telecommunications market and increasing consolidation in the DSL sector led to the proposal of a merger in October 2001 with Globespan, a company headquartered in Red Bank, NJ.

The DSL semiconductor market became increasingly commoditized and, in November 2003, Conexant Systems and GlobespanVirata announced an agreement to combine the two companies in a strategic merger.

[22] Headcount reductions continued and in December 2004 the majority of the ISOS software team in Cambridge was made redundant, having transferred IPR and operations to Conexant India.

These include for example: Adventiq, Artimi, Broadcom, Broadlight, Camrivox, Cognidox, CSR, DisplayLink, Green Custard, Ikanos, Intel Corporation, Intellon, SaleOrigin, Solarflare, Tzero, and Vidanti.