Conexant Expands Low-Power Wi-Fi Portfolio with New Platform for Embedded Applications; High-performance Platform Includes Innovative Self-hosted Client Technology
NEWPORT BEACH, Calif.—(BUSINESS WIRE)—Dec. 19, 2005—
Conexant Systems, Inc. (NASDAQ:CNXT), a worldwide leader
in semiconductor solutions for broadband communications and the
digital home, today extended its low-power wireless networking product
portfolio with the launch of a new platform based on the company's
power-efficient 802.11 a/b/g chip and new self-hosted client
technology. The platform is targeted at low-power and high-performance
devices with embedded wireless networking functionality including
cellular phones, digital cameras, MP3 players, printers, handheld
point-of-sale (POS) terminals, personal digital assistants (PDAs), and
set-top boxes.
These power-sensitive consumer electronics products generally
require low-power semiconductor solutions such as Conexant's in order
to maximize battery life. They also need additional processing power
to support Wi-Fi functionality, which results in the need for
manufacturers to re-design their products with a higher performance,
more expensive central processing unit (CPU). Conexant solved this
issue by providing the necessary computing power using the company's
unique self-hosted client technology. This allows manufacturers to
easily add Wi-Fi into current products, while considerably reducing
product development costs, and hastening time-to-market.
"We focused on maximizing flexibility and optimizing processing
power to provide a robust and cost-effective solution that allows
embedded Wi-Fi developers to meet stringent power parameters, while
minimizing design-cycle times and associated costs," said Chee Kwan,
vice president and general manager of Conexant's Wireless Networking
business. "As a result, manufacturers can now economically add Wi-Fi
functionality to mass market products. In turn, they can provide their
customers with products that include the convenience of wireless
networking, without a commensurate increase in price."
A key feature of Conexant's new embedded platform is the company's
unique self-hosted client technology, which provides a path to
zero-host loading for wireless functionality. This capability
eliminates the need for manufacturers to re-engineer products with a
more powerful CPU, which is a costly and time consuming effort. A
fully programmable medium access controller (MAC) software
architecture further maximizes design flexibility. In addition, the
platform is compatible with popular host processors, operating systems
and interfaces including universal serial bus (USB) 2.0, secure
digital input/output (SDIO), serial peripheral interface (SPI),
compact flash (CF) and peripheral component interconnect (PCI).
The platform also includes support for Internet protocol endpoint
termination on all interfaces. A complete security implementation at
the network card enables no-host loading and a faster path for
customers to incorporate wireless functionality into embedded systems.
The company's low-power Wi-Fi chip is also a part of the new
embedded platform. This solution includes Conexant's PowerSave
technology, which provides an intelligent power control capability, an
industry-leading low power standby mode, and reduces peak and overall
power consumption for extended battery life.
Conexant is a pioneer in wireless networking and offers an
extensive suite of solutions including IEEE 802.11a/b/g and dual-band
(2.4 and 5 GHz) chipsets, firmware, software, drivers and reference
designs. These wireless networking solutions are used by the world's
leading telecom, networking and computer companies in a wide range of
products including access points/routers, client cards, desktops,
notebooks, PDAs, digital cameras, MP3 players and other handheld
networking appliances. They are available as standalone solutions or
offered in conjunction with Conexant's DSL and cable modem
semiconductor system solutions, voice over IP (VoIP) chipsets and home
network processors.
About Conexant
Conexant's innovative semiconductor solutions are driving
broadband communications and digital home networks worldwide. The
company has leveraged its expertise and leadership position in modem
technologies to enable more Internet connections than all of its
competitors combined, and continues to develop highly integrated
silicon solutions for broadband data and media processing networks.
Key products include client-side xDSL and cable modem solutions,
home network processors, broadcast video encoders and decoders,
digital set-top box components and systems solutions, and dial-up
modems. Conexant's suite of networking components includes a
leadership portfolio of IEEE 802.11a/b/g-compliant WLAN chipsets,
software and reference designs, as well as solutions for applications
based on HomePlug(TM) and HomePNA(TM). The company also offers a
complete line of asymmetric and symmetric DSL central office
solutions, which are used by service providers worldwide to deliver
broadband data, voice, and video over copper telephone lines.
Conexant is a fabless semiconductor company that recorded more
than $720 million in revenues in fiscal year 2005. The company has
approximately 2,400 employees worldwide, and is headquartered in
Newport Beach, Calif. To learn more, please visit us at
www.conexant.com.
Safe Harbor
"Safe Harbor" Statement under the Private Securities Litigation
Reform Act of 1995: This release includes forward-looking statements
intended to qualify for the safe harbor from liability established by
the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. These
forward-looking statements generally can be identified by phrases such
as Conexant or its management "believes," "expects," "anticipates,"
"foresees," "forecasts," "estimates" or other words or phrases of
similar import. Similarly, statements in this release that describe
our business strategy, outlook, objectives, plans, intentions or goals
also are forward-looking statements. All such forward-looking
statements are subject to certain risks and uncertainties that could
cause actual results to differ materially from those in
forward-looking statements.
Our future GAAP-based results will be affected by the
implementation of new accounting rules related to the expensing of
stock options commencing in fiscal 2006. Other risks and uncertainties
include, but are not limited to: general economic and political
conditions and conditions in the markets we address; the substantial
losses the company has incurred recently; the cyclical nature of the
semiconductor industry and the markets addressed by the company's and
its customers' products; continuing volatility in the technology
sector and the semiconductor industry; demand for and market
acceptance of new and existing products; successful development of new
products; the timing of new product introductions and product quality;
the company's ability to anticipate trends and develop products for
which there will be market demand; the availability of manufacturing
capacity; pricing pressures and other competitive factors; changes in
product mix; product obsolescence; the ability of our customers to
manage inventory; the ability to develop and implement new
technologies and to obtain protection for the related intellectual
property; the uncertainties of litigation and the demands it may place
on the time and attention of company management; and possible
disruptions in commerce related to terrorist activity or armed
conflict, as well as other risks and uncertainties, including those
detailed from time to time in our Securities and Exchange Commission
filings.
The forward-looking statements are made only as of the date
hereof. We undertake no obligation to update or revise the
forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information,
future events or otherwise.
Conexant is a registered trademark of Conexant Systems, Inc. Other
brands and names contained in this release are the property of their
respective owners.
Contact:
Conexant Systems, Inc.
Gwen Carlson, 949-483-7363
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