Philips Semiconductors and Flarion Technologies Collaborate to Develop ASICs That Will Enable Mobile Connectivity For Users At Speeds Of Up To 3Mbps
SUNNYVALE, Calif. & BEDMINSTER, N.J.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Nov. 19,
2001--
True low-cost mobile broadband devices will be industry's first for
the mass market
Philips Semiconductors, a division of Royal Philips Electronics
(NYSE:PHG, AEX:PHI), will design and manufacture Application-Specific
Integrated Circuits (ASICs) that support mobile data rates of up to
3Mbps to devices supporting Flarion's innovative flash-OFDM(TM) mobile
communications system.
Laptop computers, PDAs, and smart telephones incorporating these
low-power ASICs will bring true broadband mobile services to
mass-market users, at prices comparable to those of today's standard
cable modem Internet connections. The ASICs, which handle
transmit-signal and receive-signal processing, will be available in
early 2002, with availability of flash-OFDM mobile PC cards in the
fourth quarter of 2002.
The ASICs will help drive down power requirements, size, and cost
for end-user devices supporting Flarion's flash-OFDM mobile
communications, the first end-to-end IP (Internet Protocol) solution
for mobile data and voice communications. The flash-OFDM technology,
which originated in Bell Labs, enables mobile users to achieve the
same broadband experience they already enjoy in business or at home,
even in moving vehicles, and at communication speeds surpassing those
of wired broadband services such as DSL or cable modems. Flarion's
flash-OFDM technology allows the full Internet content to be accessed
from mobile devices without requiring any changes to the IP protocol,
applications, devices, or content. The user experience remains
unchanged.
"The flash-OFDM technology has the potential to unwire devices and
offer all-packet connectivity to the Internet, unlike circuit-switched
technologies," said Phil Marshall, Senior Wireless Analyst with the
Yankee Group. "Low cost, high-speed chipsets that support a wide range
of devices will help foster the demand for mobile data services and
create economies of scale."
"Philips Semiconductors is an acknowledged leader in
semiconductors for mobile communications," said Ray Dolan, president
and CEO of Flarion. "Its leadership position and its mobile and
wireless market experience, combined with Flarion's flash-OFDM
technology, will enable us to meet time-to-market objectives for
national mobile operators."
"With rates of up to 3Mbps and extremely low latency, Flarion's
flash-OFDM technology is very promising for a wide range of data
applications that mobile users are demanding," said Peter Baumgartner,
Vice President, Worldwide Communications Segment, Philips
Semiconductors. "We're pleased to collaborate with Flarion and to help
bring this exciting technology to the mass market."
About Philips Semiconductors
Philips Semiconductors, with revenues of US $6.3 billion in 2000,
is a world leader in silicon systems and standard products for
wireless communications, digital entertainment, computing and
automotive applications. The organization designs, develops and
manufactures silicon solutions based on its innovative Nexperia(TM)
architecture to create living technology for its customers creating
products, service providers using the products, and consumers enjoying
the resulting products and services. For more information:
www.semiconductors.philips.com
About Flarion Technologies
Flarion Technologies is mobilizing the Internet with its
innovative mobile communications network technology, flash-OFDM(TM).
This technology will make seamless mobile broadband access to the
Internet truly affordable to the mass market - anytime, anywhere.
Flarion's flash-OFDM technology, which originated in Bell Labs,
enables mobile operators to profitably offer Internet Protocol
(IP)-based broadband services. For mobile operators, Flarion's
technology is the lowest subscriber cost of installation and operation
of any mobile broadband service in the world.
Flarion's RadioRouter(TM) base station product easily overlays
onto a mobile operator's existing cell sites and spectrum, and will
provide a seamless routing interface to the operator's existing IP
network. Flarion's flash-OFDM-based devices allow mobile users to have
the same user experience they have on a broadband-wired connection.
Flarion Technologies is based in Bedminster, New Jersey (USA) and
now employs over 135 people. Investors include Bessemer Venture
Partners, Charles River Ventures, Cisco Systems, Equitek Capital,
Lucent Technologies' New Ventures Group, Nassau Capital, and Pequot
Capital. More information about Flarion can be accessed at
http://www.flarion.com
Flash-OFDM is a trademark of Flarion Technologies. Other
trademarks and registered trademarks referenced herein remain the
property of their respective owners.
Contact:
For Philips Semiconductors
