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(COMTEX) Rockwell Semiconductor Systems Enters Cable Modem Market
Rockwell Semiconductor Systems Enters Cable Modem Market
NEWPORT BEACH, CALIF. (Dec. 1) BUSINESS WIRE -Dec. 1, 1997--
Rockwell Will Field Complete Chipsets For Both Sides Of The Connection
Between Subscribers And Cable Operators; Products
Will Fully Support Soon-To-Be-Finalized Industry Interoperability
Standards
Rockwell Semiconductor Systems today announced the first in a planned
family of cable modem chipsets that will enable Internet connections
and other data services up to 700 times the speed of the fastest
conventional analog modems.
With its entry into the cable modem market, Rockwell has now
established leadership psoitions across all of the industry's top
next-generation modem initiatives including 56Kbps analog modems,
Digital Subscriber Line (DSL) modems and high-speed cable modems.
Rockwell's initial cable modem offering will enable the development of
subscriber-side modems that fully support interoperability
specifications from the Multimedia Cable Network Systems (MCNS)
consortium.
The consortium's Data Over Cable Service Interface Specification
(DOCSIS) is expected to be completed during the first quarter of 1998
and will serve as the basis for worldwide cable modem standards.
Rockwell plans to release its complete three-chip subsriber-side MCNS
cable modem solution during this same timeframe. By the third calendar
quarter of 1998, Rockwell plans to field a complete head-end chipset
solution for cable operators as well.
Rockwell's cable modem program was launched in April with the
acquisition of ComStream Corp.'s Hi-Media Products group, a leading
supplier of broadband ICs that was merged into Rockwell's Digital
Infotainment Division.
The technology inflow resulting from the Hi-Media acquisition has
enabled Rockwell to accelerate its product design and deployment
timetable so that the company can capitalize on cable's growing
attractiveness as a high-speed medium for Internet access and other
data services.
"A variety of forces are now rapidly converging to make cable an
extremely viable solution for next-generation Internet access and other
data services and content delivery applications," said A.C.
D'Augustine, vice president and general manager for Rockwell's Digital
Infotainment Division.
"The broad-based support for the MCNS standard among chip suppliers,
equipment manufacturers and cable TV operators has created a tremendous
level of excitement and momentum behind this technology, and early
consumer feedback during field trials has been excellent," D'Augustine
added.
"To capitalize on this accelerating momentum, Rockwell has taken
industry-leading broadband technology from our Hi-Media acquisition and
combined it with our high-volume semiconductor manufacturing expertise
to create a solution with mass-market appeal." Roadmap Encompasses
Full Range of Components Rockwell current and planned chip offering
includes:
-- Subscriber-side modem chips for demodulation and forward error
correction:
Rockwell's third-generation HM2121 Quadrature Amplitude
Modulation (QAM) and HM2115 Forward Error Correction (FEC) ICs
represent a complete two-chip solution for receiving high-speed
data over cable, and have been selected by New Media
Communications, U.S. Robotics (now part of 3Com Corp.) and a
number of other major Japanese, Korean and American consumer
OEMs.
-- Complete three-chip subscriber-side solution: Rockwell plans to
field its complete solution for subscriber-side MCNS cable
modems during the first quarter of 1998, including a
next-generation single-chip QAM/FEC demodulator, a Quadrature
Phase Shift Key (QPSK)/QAM Burst Modulator, and a Media Access
Controller (MAC).
-- Complete head-end chipset solution: By the third quarter of
1998, Rockwell plans to release a complete head-end chipset
solution including a burst demodulator and QAM modulator IC.
Cable Modems to Dramatically Speed Web Browsing Performance
Cable modems offer the advantage of near-instantaneous Web downloads
and a continuous connection between the subscriber and his service
provider. A subscriber cable modem will typically have one connection
to the cable wall outlet and the other to a personal computer. MCNS
DOCSIS-compliant cable modems will enable Internet connections at
typical rates of 3Mbps downstream and 1Mbps upstream, with peak rates
approaching 36Mbps downstream and 10Mbps upstream. Standards are
expected to drive the development of a consumer market with pricing and
distribution channels that are similar to today's voiceband modem
products.
"As a pioneer in the key components of MCNS cable modems, Rockwell
offers field-tested, third-generation solutions to cable modem
developers," said Jay Kshatri, director of broadband ICs for Rockwell's
Hi-Media Products group.
"We are now leveraging the complete Rockwell semiconductor portfolio to develop the rest of the cable modem system, and are producing
high-performance client modem and head-end integrated circuits that are
critical pieces of a complete solution for mainstream deployment. The
Hi-Media team brings more than 20 years of proven system-level
broadband communications experience. We are not just an IC supplier --
we are an extension of the customer's design effort."
In addition to providing cable modem ICs, Rockwell provides a broad
range of engineering and design services to support cable modem OEMs.
These services include development of accompanying software and
firmware, system integration, debug and evaluation, detailed design
specifications, design documentation including schematic and PCB layout
files and bill of materials, and testing and working cable modem
prototypes. Furthermore, Rockwell's El Paso Custom Manufacturing
Facility has the expertise to quickly get customers into volume
production.
"Rockwell's manufacturing and customer support infrastructure, coupled
with the technology expertise of its recently acquired Hi-Media
Products, provides a powerful enabler to make cable modems a high
volume business, and positions the company to become a leading supplier
of ICs for the broadband access market," said Greg Sheppard, director
and principal analyst, semiconductor application markets, Dataquest.
Full Range of Modem Solutions
Rockwell's cable modem offering represents the third prong in
Rockwell's strategy to serve a rapidly evolving market for
next-generation, high-speed consumer modem solutions. In the first
quarter of 1997, Rockwell began volume shipments of its K56flex(tm)
modem chipset, the world's most widely adopted solution for 56Kbps
analog modem connections between PC users and Internet Service
Providers (ISPs).
In October, Rockwell expanded its Digital Subscriber Line (DSL) family
with the addition of a new Consumer DSL(tm) technology for modems that
can be priced, sold and installed much like today's popular V.34 and
K56flex modems, yet offers downstream data transfer speeds that are 10
to 20 times faster. Rockwell anticipates that K56flex, DSL and cable
technologies will each find broad-based acceptance as the market seeks
a variety of solutions depending on where consumers live, what services
their carriers offer, and the types of Internet access and other data
services they require. Pricing and Delivery
Rockwell's HM2121 demodulation IC and HM2115 FEC IC are both available
now and packaged in 100-pin PQFP and 144-pin PQFP packages,
respectively. A preliminary version of Rockwell's HM8416-A MCNS MAC
chip is available now as a set of Field Programmable Gate Arrays
(FPGAs) to enable designers to begin development and testing of their
systems. These first parts are available now in sample quantities but
are development/prototype products only and will not be available in
volume production. They will be replaced shortly by the more
integrated solution, which will be available early in 1998.
For more information on Rockwell products, contact the Rockwell
Literature Line at 800/854-8099 inside the U.S., at 714/221-6996
outside the U.S., or email rss@salesupport.com, or visit the Rockwell
Web site at rss.rockwell.com .
Hi-Media Products, part of the Digital Infotainment Division of
Rockwell Semiconductor Systems, has core competencies within RF,
physical and MAC layer integrated circuit products spanning a wide
range of digital communications applications. Based in San Diego,
Hi-Media Products is a leading systems-driven broadband IC developer
and the dominant supplier of transmission components for the digital
video initiatives of the telecommunications industry.
Rockwell Semiconductor Systems and Electronic Commerce, based in
Newport Beach, Calif., is a leading worldwide provider of semiconductor
system solutions for personal communications electronics and systems,
software and services for the global call center industry. Rockwell
Semiconductor Systems comprises five divisions -- Personal Computing,
Network Access, Personal Imaging, Wireless Communications, and Digital
Infotainment.
Personal Computing is a leading supplier of communications and media
processing products for the PC. Network Access offers a broad line of
high-bandwidth communications and networking devices including central
site modems, xDSL, LAN, ATM and T1/E1 transceiver products.
Digital Infotainment focuses on products for the digital consumer
electronics information and entertainment markets. Personal Imaging is
the world leading supplier of devices for facsimile products and
develops and manufactures semiconductors for multifunctional
peripherals, printers, personal video and digital imaging products.
Wireless Communications develops cordless and cellular chipsets, GPS,
power amplifier and front end receiver components for all major
wireless standards.
The Electronic Commerce Division, based in Wood Dale, Ill., is a
leading supplier of call center systems and personalized electronic
commerce applications software.
Rockwell (NYSE:ROK) is a global electronics company with leadership
positions in industrial automation, semiconductor systems, and avionics
and communications, with 45,000 employees and FY97 sales of
approximately $8 billion. Rockwell's world headquarters is located in
Costa Mesa, in Orange County, Calif.
NOTE: Consumer DSL is a trademark of Rockwell. K56flex is a trademark
of Lucent Technologies and Rockwell.
-0- JS/np* CB/np
CONTACT: The Benjamin Group Inc.
Jan Johnson, 714/245-7500
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