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Cutting-Edge Routers from NETGEAR® and Cisco's Linksys® Division Expand Network Capacity to Support Simultaneous Video, Voice and Data Applications Throughout a Home
LAS VEGAS, Jan 07, 2008 -- 2008 International CES -- Broadcom Corporation (Nasdaq: BRCM), a global leader in semiconductors for wired and wireless communications, today announced that its dual-band 802.11n technology is enabling cutting-edge Wi-Fi® products to offer multimedia capabilities that other solutions can only promise -- simultaneous voice, video and data applications. Recently named the number one Wi-Fi chip vendor for innovation and implementation by ABI Research, Broadcom continues to innovate and execute with its line of dual-band Intensi-fi(tm) solutions. By utilizing both the 2.4 GHz and 5 GHz frequency bands simultaneously, Broadcom® dual-band 802.11n products greatly expand network capacity and enable consumers to get the most from their wireless networks.
Broadcom continues to collaborate with network equipment manufacturers to bring the benefits of dual-band products to the consumer Wi-Fi market. Two leading Wi-Fi vendors have selected Broadcom Intensi-fi solutions for their latest dual-band routers. This includes the new NETGEAR® RangeMax Dual-Band Wireless-N Router (WNDR3300) and the Ultra RangePlus Dual-Band Wireless-N Gigabit Router (WRT600N) from Linksys®, a division of Cisco. The breadth of Broadcom's Wi-Fi portfolio provides partners with a plethora of design choices, enabling them to build dual-band products with distinct feature sets and price points.
"The pervasiveness of HD content and emergence of IPTV services are creating enormous demand for wireless products that allow consumers to view video content on any screen in their home," said Rahul Patel, Senior Director of Marketing for Broadcom's Wireless LAN business unit. "Consumer electronics manufacturers are already implementing 802.11n in HDTVs and set-top boxes devices. Broadcom is optimizing both the performance and cost of our dual-band solutions to accelerate the adoption of 802.11n in many other home theater products."
Increasing network capacity is critical as hundreds of millions of wireless products (including 802.11b/g and Bluetooth® devices, cordless phones, microwave ovens, etc.) compete for three non-overlapping channels in the 2.4 GHz band. Broadcom's Intensi-fi technology provides 24 additional non-overlapping channels in the 5 GHz band, which is similar to opening an eight-lane freeway next to a crowded single-lane road. In addition to improving "traffic flow" on both roads, the freeway's additional capacity allows even the largest vehicles to travel at their top speeds by using lanes without other traffic. For Wi-Fi users, these large vehicles represent video applications, which require more throughput (10-20 Mbps for each stream) and stronger connections to ensure a smooth video experience.
"Simultaneous dual-band Wireless-N is an important technology for consumers moving entertainment content throughout the connected home," said Mani Dhillon, Director of Product Marketing, Linksys Consumer Business Organization. "Using both parts of the spectrum multiplies the available bandwidth to support high-quality video, voice over IP and gaming applications on a Wi-Fi network."
Wireless routers with simultaneous dual-band functionality allow Wi-Fi users to maximize performance for multimedia applications, while remaining compatible with existing wireless devices on their network. For example, consumers can use the 2.4 GHz band for applications such as e-mail, Internet surfing and wireless printing, which require less bandwidth but must remain compatible with existing 802.11b/g products. At the same time, the router can stream flawless HD video to laptops and televisions throughout the house on the 5 GHz band.
"Wireless networking has become so popular that home networks increasingly overlap in the neighborhood, severely impacting network performance for video streaming, gaming and Internet telephony," said David Henry, Director of Product Marketing for NETGEAR's Consumer Products. "By incorporating Broadcom's Intensi-fi technology into our new RangeMax Dual Band Wireless-N Router, we can avoid interference and maximize wireless performance and range, delivering to our customers faster downloads, high-quality media streaming, and better online gaming."
Intensi-fi Delivers a Better Wireless Multimedia Experience
Broadcom Intensi-fi technology enables a better multimedia experience by boosting the performance and range of Wi-Fi products. Routers with Broadcom's single-chip 802.11n solution (the BCM4322) and Gigabit Ethernet processor (the BCM4705) provide ample bandwidth for several HD video streams, plus voice over IP (VoIP) calls, gaming and other multimedia applications. To maintain high definition video connections throughout a home, Intensi-fi chips leverage a unique receiver architecture that provides the highest quality radio signals of any solution on the market. As a result, manufacturers can achieve superior performance with a 2x2 antenna configuration, without incurring additional costs for more antennas.
Intensi-fi technology also offers more 5 GHz channel options than competing 802.11n chipsets. Broadcom became the first 802.11n supplier to receive FCC certification for dynamic frequency selection (DFS), a technique used to detect and avoid incumbent radar systems, such as military and weather radar, in the 5 GHz band. The certification of Broadcom's 802.11n reference design (BCM94705LMP) enables partners to implement DFS and provide Wi-Fi users with fifteen additional channels on which to transmit video, voice and data.
Lastly, Intensi-fi solutions use a number of quality of service (QoS) techniques to enhance wireless voice and video applications. Broadcom's OneDriver™ software offers certified support for Wi-Fi Multimedia (WMM™), a set of important QoS features that helps Wi-Fi routers prioritize audio, video and voice traffic on a wireless network. These features were critical to certifying Broadcom's 802.11n router reference design Windows Vista® Premium. This designation is given to products that meet stringent requirements and deliver a great user experience with devices based on Microsoft's latest operating system.
About Broadcom
Broadcom Corporation is a major technology innovator and global leader in semiconductors for wired and wireless communications. Broadcom® products enable the delivery of voice, video, data and multimedia to and throughout the home, the office and the mobile environment. We provide the industry's broadest portfolio of state-of-the-art, system-on-a-chip and software solutions to manufacturers of computing and networking equipment, digital entertainment and broadband access products, and mobile devices. These solutions support our core mission: Connecting everything®.
Broadcom is one of the world's largest fabless semiconductor companies, with 2006 revenue of $3.67 billion, and holds over 2,300 U.S. and 1,000 foreign patents, more than 7,100 additional pending patent applications, and one of the broadest intellectual property portfolios addressing both wired and wireless transmission of voice, video and data.
Broadcom is headquartered in Irvine, Calif., and has offices and research facilities in North America, Asia and Europe. Broadcom may be contacted at +1.949.926.5000 or at http://www.broadcom.com.
Safe Harbor Statement under the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995:
All statements included or incorporated by reference in this release, other than statements or characterizations of historical fact, are forward-looking statements. These forward-looking statements are based on our current expectations, estimates and projections about our industry and business, management's beliefs, and certain assumptions made by us, all of which are subject to change. Forward-looking statements can often be identified by words such as "anticipates," "expects," "intends," "plans," "predicts," "believes," "seeks," "estimates," "may," "will," "should," "would," "could," "potential," "continue," "ongoing," similar expressions, and variations or negatives of these words. These forward-looking statements are not guarantees of future results and are subject to risks, uncertainties and assumptions that could cause our actual results to differ materially and adversely from those expressed in any forward-looking statement.
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Broadcom®, the pulse logo, Connecting everything®, the Connecting everything logo, Intensi-fi™ and OneDriver™ are among the trademarks of Broadcom Corporation and/or its affiliates in the United States, certain other countries and/or the EU. Bluetooth® is a trademark of Bluetooth SIG, Inc. Microsoft®, Windows® and Windows Vista® are trademarks of Microsoft Corporation. Wi-Fi® and WMM™ are trademarks of the Wi-Fi Alliance. NETGEAR® is a registered trademark of NETGEAR, Inc. Linksys® is a registered trademark of Cisco. Any other trademarks or trade names mentioned are the property of their respective owners.
Broadcom Trade Press Contact
Jeremy Hyatt
Senior Manager,
Corporate Communications
949-926-5971
jhyatt@broadcom.com
Broadcom Investor Relations Contact
T. Peter Andrew
Vice President,
Corporate Communications
949-926-5663
andrewtp@broadcom.com
SOURCE Broadcom Corporation; BRCM Mobile & Wireless
http://www.broadcom.com
