BEDFORD, Mass., January 19, 2000 – Aware, Inc. (NASDAQ: AWRE), a worldwide leader in DSL (digital subscriber line) technology for high-speed Internet access over existing telephone networks, today announced that its market-leading fast retrain technology is a key feature in the standards-based splitterless DSL that is gaining wide acceptance throughout the telecommunications industry. Fast retrain has a number of benefits that will allow service providers to offer improved DSL services.
When DSL service is offered without fast retrain, one approach to deployment is to install a voice-data splitter at the point where the phone line enters the home, and string a new phone line from the voice-data splitter to the DSL modem in the home. While this "splittered" approach works, it has certain limitations. Fast retrain technology, which has been standardized by the ITU standards body, provides a more robust and versatile ADSL service. Benefits of fast retrain include:
The ability for complete splitterless operation, which would eliminate the need for the voice-data splitter and the new phone line to the DSL modem.
The ability for complete microfilterless operation, which would eliminate or at worst limit the use of microfilters to only those phones whose voice quality is impaired by the DSL signal.
The ability to use any phone jack in the home as a high speed DSL outlet; not just the one jack provisioned by the separate phone line from the voice-data splitter.
The robustness of the in-home network is maintained as new devices, such as phones or answering machines, are installed after initial installation is complete.
Improved performance in changing noise and crosstalk environments.
Quicker connection times when turning DSL modems on.
Faster transitions from low power modes and sleep modes.
Michael A. Tzannes, president and CEO of Aware, said: "The fast retrain technique is the most significant innovation in DSL in the last three years. Fast retrain addresses the cost-effective installation of DSL within the difficult and ever-changing environment of the in-home phone network. With fast retrain, service providers can offer enhanced DSL services that can shorten installation times, maintain the robustness of the in-home network, improve performance, and contain more features."
Aware is an intellectual property company that supplies DSL technology to the semiconductor industry. Its technology offerings include patents, application specific integrated circuit (ASIC) cores, system and run-time software, and reference designs. Aware is the leader in developing fast-retrain, because it was first to market with technology that implements this innovative technique. Aware’s fast retrain technology today fuels solutions from Analog Devices, Lucent and Infineon Technologies and is being incorporated into solutions from NEC, Intel, ST Microelectronics, and others. Aware presented its fast retrain techniques to the ITU standards body in 1998 to encourage a global adoption of its approach. Aware systematically protects its technology through an expanding portfolio of patents and patent applications. As a member of ITU, Aware has offered to license patents required for ITU standards under fair, equitable and non-discriminatory terms.
Tzannes added: "Solutions from our customers as well as others, which incorporate this technology, have clearly signaled the importance of this innovation. We are confident that fast retrain will be an integral part of the mass-market roll-out of DSL, because it is an innovation that enables service providers to more rapidly expand their customer bases."
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