O pacote compat-20131206 compila um driver ath10k_pci, não ath10k. De acordo com o seu modinfo , depende do ath10k_core, compat e mac80211, todos os quais também são compilados pelo pacote.
filename: /home/chili/backports-20131206/drivers/net/wireless/ath/ath10k/ath10k_pci.ko
firmware: ath10k/QCA988X/hw2.0/board.bin
firmware: ath10k/QCA988X/hw2.0/otp.bin
firmware: ath10k/QCA988X/hw2.0/firmware.bin
license: Dual BSD/GPL
description: Driver support for Atheros QCA988X PCIe devices
author: Qualcomm Atheros
version: backported from Linux (next-20131206-0-gc0a1029) using backports backports-20131206-0-g0cca7ab
srcversion: 273EBCA0AF429B384C6AD53
alias: pci:v0000168Cd0000003Csv*sd*bc*sc*i*
depends: ath10k_core,compat,mac80211
vermagic: 3.12.4-031204-generic SMP mod_unload modversions
parm: ath10k_target_ps:Enable ath10k Target (SoC) PS option (uint)
Observe que o firmware também é requerido pelo driver compilado. link