Broadcom Delivers the World's First Six-Port Fast Ethernet Transceiver
New Design Features Both RMII and SMII Interfaces and Offers Significant Reductions in Power- and Cost-Per-Port
IRVINE, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Sept. 28, 1998-- Broadcom Corporation (Nasdaq:BRCM - news), a leading developer of integrated circuits enabling high-speed broadband communications to the home and business, today announced the introduction of the industry's first six-port 10/100BASE TX/FX transceiver chip. Targeted for use in Fast Ethernet (100 megabit-per-second) switches and segmentable repeaters, the Broadcom(R) BCM5216 Hex-(Phy)(TM) Transceiver allows networking equipment vendors to take immediate advantage of a 50% increase in port density while enjoying a significant reduction in both power and cost.
Based on the same field-proven and patent pending Digital Signal Processing (DSP) architecture used in its industry leading Quad-(Phy)(TM) transceiver (BCM5208), Broadcom's Hex-(Phy) (BCM5216) packs two additional ports into the same 208-pin PQFP package, resulting in a lower per port cost. The BCM5216 utilizes advanced 0.35 micron CMOS technology and like the BCM5208 operates at 3.3 volts. The Reduced Media Independent Interface (RMII) and Serial Media Independent Interface (SMII) offer additional system cost reduction by substantially reducing the switch ASIC's pin-count and simplifying the packaging requirements.
''Broadcom's six-port Fast Ethernet transceiver represents the highest level of Fast Ethernet transceiver integration available today. It integrates 50% more parts and uses between 30% and 50% less power per port than competing quad and single channel transceivers. Furthermore, it represents the first successful migration of any multi-port Fast Ethernet transceiver to 0.35 micron process technology, and the first to support both the RMII and SMII interfaces,'' said Marty Colombatto, Vice President and General Manager of Broadcom's Networking Business Unit. ''The power consumption, port density, and performance benefits associated with this migration are welcomed by networking equipment vendors who can take immediate advantage of system cost savings.''
Reduced & Serial Media Independent Interfaces (RMII & SMII)
Supported
The BCM5216 is the first transceiver to support the RMII and also the first transceiver to support the SMII. Broadcom was a founding member of the RMII Consortium and a major contributor to the RMII specification. (The SMII specification was originally developed by Cisco Systems.) ''In the next six months, we will see RMII and SMII supported in new products from many of the leading switch vendors,'' said Kevin Brown, Broadcom's Networking Product Line Manager. ''Broadcom has been working together with industry leaders to ensure interoperability between our RMII and SMII implementations and their switch chips.''
Use of the RMII and SMII interfaces reduces overall system cost by lowering the pin count per port and simplifying board layout and design. RMII reduces the Media Access Controller (MAC) ASIC interface pin count per port from 16 to 7, while SMII further reduces pin count to just 2 pins per port. Pin count reduction lowers package costs for both MAC ASICs and transceivers and saves board space, enabling higher port density in customers' designs.
Process Migration Simplified
Because the BCM5216 is based upon the same proprietary DSP architecture as the BCM5208 quad transceiver, process migration from 0.5 to 0.35 micron line width geometries was relatively straightforward. According to Kevin Brown, ''Ethernet equipment vendors are justifiably wary of unproven transceivers. Using the DSP design that was field-proven in our popular quad transceiver not only allowed Broadcom to produce a hex transceiver ahead of our competition, it also reduced the risks usually inherent in implementing a new transceiver design. The robust, field-proven Digi-(Phy)(TM) architecture also provides consistent performance over wide variations in process, noise, voltage, and temperature.''
With six full-duplex Fast Ethernet transceivers, the BCM5216 performs all physical layer interface functions for 10BASE-T Ethernet over Category 3, 4 or 5 unshielded twisted pair cable and 100BASE-TX over Category 5 cable. Through the use of external fiber-optic transceiver devices, 100BASE-FX is supported on any or all of the six ports.
Broadcom is shipping sample quantities of the BCM5216 to select customers today, with production expected during the fourth quarter of 1998. The device is priced at $24 in 10,000 piece quantities and is packaged in the same 208-pin PQFP package as the BCM5208.
About Broadcom
Broadcom Corporation is a leading developer of highly integrated silicon solutions, which enable broadband digital data transmission to the home and within the business enterprise. Using proprietary technologies and advanced design methodologies, the company has designed and developed integrated circuits for some of the most significant broadband communications markets, including the markets for cable set-top boxes, cable modems, high-speed networking products, digital broadcast satellite, terrestrial wireless and digital subscriber line (xDSL). Broadcom is based in Irvine, California, and can be reached at 949-450-8700 or at broadcom.com.
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Reform Act of 1995
This release may contain forward-looking statements involving risks and uncertainties that may cause actual future events or results to differ materially and adversely from those described in the forward-looking statements. Important factors that may cause such a difference for Broadcom include, but are not limited to, the volume of product sales and pricing concessions on volume sales; the timing, rescheduling or cancellation of significant customer orders; the loss of a significant customer; the timing of customer qualification and industry interoperability certification of new products; the rate of adoption by customers and end-users of new and emerging technologies in the high-speed data networking, cable set-top box, cable modem, direct broadcast satellite, terrestrial wireless and digital subscriber line (xDSL) markets; the rate of adoption and acceptance of new industry standards in the foregoing markets; the Company's ability to specify, develop, introduce and market new products and technologies on a timely basis; the qualification, availability and pricing of competing products and technologies from other vendors; fluctuations in manufacturing yields and other problems or delays in the fabrication, assembly, testing or delivery of products; uncertainties associated with international operations; the Company's ability to retain and hire key executives, technical personnel and other employees; problems or delays in achieving higher levels of design integration and in migrating product designs to smaller geometry processes; intellectual property disputes; changes in product or customer mix; the quality of the Company's products; the level of orders received that can be shipped in a quarter; the effects on operations and management of facility relocations; general economic conditions and market conditions in the markets addressed by Broadcom; and the other factors discussed in the Company's filings from time to time with the Securities and Exchange Commission, including but not limited to the Registration Statement on Form S-1 (Amendment No. 6) and Final Prospectus dated April 16, 1998 and the Company's subsequent quarterly filings on Form 10-Q. Broadcom disclaims any obligation to revise or update any forward-looking statement that may be made from time to time by it or on its behalf.
Note to Editors: Broadcom(R) is a registered trademark of Broadcom Corporation.
Hex-(Phy)(TM) is a trademark of Broadcom Corporation.
Digi-(Phy)(TM) is a trademark of Broadcom Corporation.
Quad-(Phy)(TM) is a trademark of Broadcom Corporation.
All other trademarks are the property of their respective owners.
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