Unequaled 32-bit Performance for Enhanced GSM/UMTS Applications: Infineon Technologies Introduces Tailor-Made Chip Card Security Controller

MUNICH, Germany and CANNES, France--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Feb. 19, 2002--Infineon Technologies (FSE/NYSE: IFX), the world's leading supplier of integrated circuits (ICs) for chip cards, today announced the availability of a new member of its award-winning 88 family of security controllers. The new 32-bit chip card microcontroller is designed to meet the performance and security requirements of mobile communications network operators providing GSM/UMTS service and to support new mobile banking applications.

Introduced simultaneously at the 3GSM World Congress in Cannes, France, and RSA 2002 Conference in San Jose, Calif., the new 88S (SLE88CX642S) chip card security controller reinforces Infineon's leadership position in two key markets, wireless communications and security ICs. The 88S is an ideal solution for the Subscriber Identity Module (SIM) cards used to provide application intelligence and secure network access for GSM and UMTS phones. According to the 2002 Global Handset Forecast published by Credit Suisse First Boston, a global investment bank, the number of subscribers to mobile GSM/UMTS services will grow to 925 million worldwide by 2003. Each subscriber requires a SIM card, which can include the controller technology now available from Infineon.

The 88S security controller platform provides mobile network operators with the flexibility to integrate and support next-generation services and maintain these services through the lifetime of a mobile terminal without having to change hardware or the system infrastructure. In particular, its computing power enables network operators to develop and offer a wide range of extended services, delivered securely using GSM (Global System for Mobile Communication) and the emerging UMTS (Universal Mobile Telecommunications System) wireless communications technologies. These applications include enhanced short message services (SMS), email transactions containing pictures and even brief videos, and secure financial transactions.

Technical information on SLE88CX642S

The new 88S is a cost and performance optimized derivative of the 88 family security controller named as "Best Technological Innovation" at the prestigious Cartes 2001 conference in Paris. It offers a GSM dedicated memory configuration. With 192 Kbytes of ROM, 72 Kbytes of EEPROM, and 6 Kbytes of RAM, the 88S has the memory capacity to host enhanced SMS services, large e-mail and address directories, and additional personal data, as well as to support downloads of data over the air. Like all members of the 88 family of controllers, the 88S features an integral security concept and Virtual Machine Language acceleration to execute application code written in JavaSC(TM) and other stack-oriented languages.

To meet the requirements for highest possible security in mobile commerce applications and financial transactions over the air, the 88S features a strong on-chip Memory Management Unit (MMU) incorporating hardware firewalls to isolate and protect applet code from other system elements. The chip card security controller includes two powerful crypto coprocessors supporting high performance for DES (Data Encryption Standard), Triple-DES, RSA (Rivest, Shamir, Adleman), and elliptic curves algorithms.

The SLE88CX642S is based on a 32-bit RISC CPU running at frequencies of up to 33 MHz, supporting fast execution of applications. It operates across the entire voltage range, from 1.8 V to 5.0 V, in full compliance with ETSI specifications.

Infineon delivers the 88S together with a Platform Support Layer (PSL), which is a complete set of low-level drivers for all peripherals and a crypto library for RSA, elliptic curves and AES (Advanced Encryption Standard). This helps to reduce development costs and accelerate time-to-market.

Availability

Engineering samples of the SLE88CX642S are available starting April 2002, with volume production planned in Q3 2002. The product is shipped as sawn wafers or packaged in modules.

Infineon will be present at the 3GSM World Congress 2002 (19 - 21 February 2002, Cannes, France) at booth A19/20 in Hall 1, and at the RSA 2002 Conference (18- 21 February 2002, San Jose, Calif.) at booth 1113 in the San Jose Convention Center.

Further information on SLE88CX642S at www.infineon.com/88Controller

About Infineon

Infineon Technologies AG, Munich, Germany, offers semiconductor and system solutions for applications in the wired and wireless communications markets, for security systems and smartcards, for the automotive and industrial sectors, as well as memory products. With a global presence, Infineon operates in the US from San Jose, CA, in the Asia-Pacific region from Singapore and in Japan from Tokyo. In the fiscal year 2001 (ending September), the company achieved sales of Euro 5.67 billion with about 33,800 employees worldwide. Infineon is listed on the DAX index of the Frankfurt Stock Exchange and on the New York Stock Exchange (ticker symbol: IFX). Further information is available at www.infineon.com

This news release is available online at www.infineon.com/news

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