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Monday December 4, 1:43 pm Eastern Time
Press Release
Conexant Connects the Digital Home With the Industry's First Home-Network Processor Optimized for a Variety of New Internet-Enabled Devices
Highly Integrated Solution Offers A More Flexible Way to Design Home-Networking Products and Incorporate Evolving Connectivity Technologies
NEWPORT BEACH, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Dec. 4, 2000-- Conexant Systems, Inc. (Nasdaq:CNXT - news) Monday announced the industry's first home-networking processor, which will be at the core of a variety of devices that consumers will use to access the Internet and share content using a wide range of existing, emerging and evolving connectivity technologies.
The CX82100 home-networking processor is a cost-optimized, high-performance solution that gives manufacturers a single, integrated platform for creating new high-speed, Internet-enabled devices. In addition, it supports comprehensive Internet security features including virtual private networking (VPN) protection.
Conexant's home-network processor is a flexible solution that enables OEMs to bring to market a variety of products that support emerging home-networking applications, without requiring them to redesign an entire product as features and standards change.
With its superior flexibility and scalability to support a variety of home-networking appliances, the CX82100 allows manufacturers to maximize their technology investments and speed time-to-market by standardizing on a single home-network processor platform.
``As the home-networking landscape continues to evolve, our strategy is to bring to market highly integrated home-network processors complemented by customized PHY devices that can be mixed and matched to address each segment of the market,'' said Alberto Mantovani, division director of small business and consumer networking for Conexant's personal computing division.
``This modular approach gives manufacturers the flexibility to quickly introduce new offerings that support the full array of home-networking standards and broadband access technologies.''
Potential applications include residential gateways -- which may include embedded broadband connectivity and firewall capability -- that link a network of home PCs. In addition, the CX82100 is ideal for the creation of bridges that allow consumers to easily add home-networking capability to multiple peripherals.
Specific product implementations include Ethernet-to-HomePNA phoneline bridges, Ethernet-to-HomePlug powerline bridges and HomePlug powerline-to-Bluetooth wireless bridges.
The CX82100 is also well-suited for the creation of standalone firewalls for home and small office users, which help protect files stored on networked devices from unauthorized access. It provides a high-performance, low-cost platform for creating one-port, personal firewalls for less than $100, and multiple-port, small-office firewalls for less than $200.
Using Conexant's home-network processor, OEMs will be able to create standalone firewalls that offer greater security than PC-based designs.
Among the first end-user products to incorporate Conexant's home-network processor will be a home-networking firewall from SMC Networks Inc. SMC's new Barricade Pro family of broadband security products will be available in the first quarter of 2001 through VARs, retail stores and e-commerce sites.
``Our customers want an easy, affordable way to connect multiple PCs at home, and share Internet access among several users,'' said Tony Stramandinoli, director of product marketing for SMC. ``Conexant's home-network processor enabled us to quickly bring to market our Barricade Pro family, which offers industry-leading performance at a value-oriented price point.''
In addition, Conexant's home-network processor will support software from WatchGuard Technologies Inc., a leading supplier of Internet security solutions, to provide customers with built-in, continually up-to-date Internet security and VPN protection.
Conexant's CX82100 will be the first home-network processor to enable customers to design a firewall with automatic access to WatchGuard's suite of LiveSecurity services (see news release from WatchGuard also issued today for further details).
``Conexant has identified an opportunity to better serve broadband manufacturers by offering them the flexibility to embed Internet security into DSL, cable modem and home-networking devices at the lowest possible cost,'' said Robin Samms, vice president of OEM sales at WatchGuard.
``Conexant is a leading semiconductor supplier, and the availability of the new LiveSecurity-enabled CX82100 home-network processor signifies the importance of making Internet security easy to activate for users of always-on broadband connections.''
According to Cahners In-Stat group, the market for home-networking chips is poised to grow from $116 million in 2000 to $669 million by 2004.
``Offering a low-cost, turnkey silicon solution tailored for the consumer market is a significant step forward for the home-networking industry,'' said Mike Wolf, manager of voice and data communications research with Cahners In-Stat Group. ``Cost, performance and ease-of-use are among the key drivers for the mass adoption of home-networking technology, and Conexant's solution addresses all of these market needs.''
The CX82100 incorporates an ARM® 940T 144 MHz core with two 802.3 media access controllers (MAC), two industry-standard media independent interfaces (MII)/seven wire (7W), a USB interface, a dedicated program memory bus, an expansion bus, a joint test action group (JTAG) interface, various timers and general purpose IOs (GPIOs). This architecture further enhances flexibility for manufacturers by allowing them to connect to the device to any PHY with a MII/7W.
Packaged as a 196-pin ball grid array (BGA), the CX82100 is sampling now and will be available in production quantities in January 2001. It is priced at $25 in quantities of 10,000.
About Conexant Systems, Inc.
With revenues of $2.1 billion in fiscal 2000, Conexant is the world's largest independent company focused exclusively on providing semiconductor solutions 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 organizes its activities into two business areas: Internet infrastructure, which consists of the Network Access division and personal networking, comprised of the Digital Infotainment, Personal Imaging, Wireless Communications and Personal Computing divisions. Conexant is a member of the S&P 500 and Nasdaq-100 Indices. For more information, visit Conexant at www.conexant.com.
Safe Harbor Statement
This news release contains statements relating to future results of Conexant (including certain projections and business trends) that are ``forward-looking statements'' as defined in the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Actual results may differ materially from those projected as a result of certain risks and uncertainties. These risks and uncertainties include, but are not limited to: global and market conditions, including, but not limited to, the cyclical nature of the semiconductor industry and the markets addressed by the company's and its customers' products; demand for and market acceptance of new and existing products; successful development of new products; the timing of new product introductions; the availability and extent of utilization of manufacturing capacity; pricing pressures and other competitive factors; changes in product mix; fluctuations in manufacturing yields; product obsolescence; the ability to develop and implement new technologies and to obtain protection for the related intellectual property; the successful implementation of the company's diversification strategy; the announced spin off of the Internet infrastructure business; labor relations of the company, its customers and suppliers; and the uncertainties of litigation, as well as other risks and uncertainties, including, but not limited to, those detailed from time to time in the company's Securities and Exchange Commission filings. These forward-looking statements are made only as of the date hereof, and the company undertakes no obligation to update or revise the forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise. Other brands and names contained in this release are the property of their respective owners.
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Contact:
Conexant Systems, Inc., Newport Beach
Lisa Briggs, 949/483-1148
lisa.briggs@conexant.com
or
Benjamin Group/BSMG Worldwide
Heather McLaughlin, 949/260-1300
heather_mclaughlin@benjamingroup.com" |
