Conexant Votes with Home Phoneline Networking Association to Select Candidate Technology for 10 Mbps Home Networking Standard
HomePNA's candidate 2.0 specification will use technology that Conexant cross-licensed with Epigram Inc. in May
NEWPORT BEACH, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--July 27, 1999-- Conexant Systems Inc. (Nasdaq:CNXT - news) announced that it voted to select the candidate technology that the Home Phoneline Networking Association (HomePNA) Tuesday said will form the basis for a next-generation, 10 Mbps home networking specification.
Conexant is a founding member of the HomePNA.
The announcement by the HomePNA is the first step toward the release of a second-generation specification for home phoneline networking technology. The proposed technology for the HomePNA's 10 Mbps specification is currently under development, and will build upon the proven 1 Mbps technology specification that the HomePNA released in the fall of 1998.
Conexant plans to introduce a family of 10 Mbps-and-higher home networking solutions that will be compliant with the next-generation HomePNA 2.0 standard, proposed jointly by Epigram Inc. and Lucent Technologies Microelectronics Group, which is expected to be completed before the end of the year.
Conexant and Epigram announced in May that the two companies would cross-license home networking technologies and that Conexant would support Epigram's proposed specification for industry-standard 10 Mbps home networking technology. Epigram is a wholly owned subsidiary of Broadcom Corp.
''The selection of a candidate technology for 10 Mbps home networking is an important first step for this emerging marketplace,'' said Matt Rhodes, senior vice president and general manager for Conexant's Personal Computing Division. ''With 10 Mbps performance, home networking can become the heart of a powerful consumer communications and information appliance.
''With the right blend of technologies, consumers should be able to do much more than simply link their computers -- like sharing broadband Internet access using cable modems or digital subscriber line links, and accessing low-cost Internet telephony services with the added convenience of cordless handset technology. Conexant's broad portfolio of communications products includes all these technologies,'' Rhodes added.
Home-networking technology gives multiple Home PC users simultaneous access to the Internet without the expense of additional phone line charges and Internet Service Provider (ISP) subscriber fees.
Users of connected PCs and Internet appliances also can play networked games or share home networked printers, peripherals, files and applications, all using existing wiring and without interrupting standard phone service. Cahners In-Stat Group estimates that more than 20 million U.S. households will have multiple PCs this year alone.
About the Home Phoneline Networking Alliance
The Home Phoneline Networking Alliance (HomePNA) is an incorporated, non-profit association of industry-leading companies working together to help ensure adoption of a single, unified phoneline networking industry standard and rapidly bring to market a range of interoperable home networking solutions.
Founded in June 1998, HomePNA has grown to include more than 90 members spanning the networking, telecommunications, hardware, software and consumer electronics industries. For more information, including a list of member companies, visit HomePNA's Web site at homepna.org.
With revenues of more than $1.2 billion, Conexant is the world's largest independent company focused exclusively on providing semiconductor products for communications electronics. With more than 30 years of experience in developing communications technology, the company draws upon its expertise in mixed-signal processing to deliver integrated systems and semiconductor products for a broad range of communications applications.
These products facilitate communications worldwide through wireline voice and data communications networks, cordless and cellular wireless telephony systems, personal imaging devices and equipment, and emerging cable and wireless broadband communications networks.
The company aligns its business into five product platforms: Network Access, Wireless Communications, Digital Infotainment, Personal Imaging and Personal Computing. Conexant is a member of the Nasdaq-100 Index, which represents the largest and most active stocks listed on The Nasdaq Stock Market across major industry groups.
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