FTC approves Motorola purchase of Netopia

The Federal Trade Commission signed off on Motorola Inc.’s $208-million purchase of Netopia Inc., a maker of high-speed Internet modems and software, after an antitrust review to ensure that the acquisition wouldn’t be anti-competitive, according to the agency’s website.

Motorola, the biggest U.S. maker of cable-television set-top boxes, agreed in November to buy Emeryville, Calif.- based Netopia. The deal is part of a larger effort by Schaumburg, Ill.-based Motorola to make inroads with telephone companies offering high-speed Internet access.