BTW, I didn't see this posted, from yesterday:
Broadcom and Networking Industry Leaders Join Forces to Deploy Gigabit Ethernet over the Existing Copper Cable Infrastructure
Business Wire - August 11, 1998 13:37
IRVINE, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--August 11, 1998--
3Com Corporation, Alteon Networks, Bay Networks, Cabletron Systems, Cisco Systems, Hewlett-Packard Company, Jato Technologies and Packet Engines Join Forces with Broadcom Corporation to Deploy Networking Products that Support Gigabit Speeds over the Existing Category 5 Copper Cable Infrastructure
Broadcom Corporation (NASDAQ:BRCM) and its Accelerated Deployment Partners (ADPs) today announced their commitment to provide Gigabit Ethernet networking products for the installed base of Category 5 cabling. This joint effort will provide for the development of products that enable data to travel at rates of up to 1,000 megabits per second (Mbps) over the same Category 5 copper cabling used today for Ethernet and Fast Ethernet transmission. Using existing cabling infrastructures reduces the extra labor and material costs of replacing current enterprise cable to support gigabit networking speeds.
Broadcom's ADPs currently include 3Com Corporation, Alteon Networks, Bay Networks, Cabletron Systems, Cisco Systems, Hewlett-Packard Company, Jato Technologies and Packet Engines. Gigabit Ethernet products armed with Broadcom's Giga-PHY(tm) transceiver technology will address the speed requirements of today's bandwidth-intensive applications without requiring an expensive upgrade to fiber or enhanced copper cabling. Applications that should benefit from gigabit speeds include video conferencing, video streaming, document sharing, telemedicine, interactive CAD/CAM, and audio-enhanced remote collaboration.
Broadcom's silicon technology will enable its partners to develop products based on the Gigabit Ethernet standard for copper-based cabling as proposed by the IEEE802.3ab Task Force. This proposed standard will enable Gigabit Ethernet to extend to distances of up to 100 meters over the existing installed Category 5 unshielded twisted pair cabling. In early July, a significant milestone was reached when the task force resolved all of the outstanding technical issues for the IEEE802.3ab standard. Additionally, the Task Force along with the IEEE 802.3 Working Group (which oversees Ethernet Standards) voted unanimously to initiate a Working Group ballot for the 802.3ab Gigabit Ethernet standard.
"Fast Ethernet (100Mbps) switched port aggregation, high-performance server connections, and large data-set client applications, such as imaging and CAD/CAM, now demand gigabit speeds in the LAN," said Marty Colombatto, Vice President & General Manager of Broadcom's Networking Business Unit. "This joint announcement represents a commitment by industry leaders to accelerate the deployment of Gigabit Ethernet by utilizing the existing cable infrastructure, thereby making Gigabit Ethernet economically feasible for today's enterprise networks."
According to a recent report produced by Frost & Sullivan, 80% of today's enterprise networks worldwide are based on Category 5 cable for desktop, server, and backbone applications. The objective of the IEEE 802.3ab task force is to develop a Gigabit Ethernet standard that supports this large installed base and does not require the installation of enhanced Category 5 or Category 6 cabling.
To date, Gigabit Ethernet has focused on fiber-based backbone applications. 1000BASE-T will be a Gigabit Ethernet solution that operates over UTP copper. As the demand for bandwidth increases in server and desktop applications, Gigabit Ethernet will be the natural upgrade path for current 100 Mbps Fast Ethernet applications and will leverage the installed base of Category 5 copper wiring. Historically, the cost of establishing a network connection using fiber is significantly more expensive than using copper. Fiber installations are highly labor intensive and require costly connectors and optical transceivers for converting light wave signals to electrical signals. With the advent of Gigabit Ethernet products for copper, users may upgrade to gigabit performance and eliminate the need to use fiber within the 100-meter range.
Broadcom's Accelerated Deployment Partners intend to develop Gigabit Ethernet equipment based on Broadcom's(R) Giga-PHY(tm) transceiver technology. Initial prototypes of Broadcom's chip are scheduled to be available in the fourth quarter of 1998.
Broadcom's High-speed Networking Products
Broadcom is a leading supplier of single and Quad-PHY(tm) and Integrated TX Repeater silicon solutions for the Fast Ethernet networking market. All of Broadcom's transceivers incorporate the Broadcom(R) Digi-Phy(tm) Digital Signal Processing (DSP) architecture. This advanced, field-proven digital circuitry results in cost-effective transceivers that perform reliably over a dynamic range of cable lengths and operating conditions.
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.
Safe Harbor Statement under the Private Securities Litigation 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 qualification, availability and pricing of competing products and technologies from other vendors; delays in the specification or design of new products; 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 migrating product designs to smaller geometry processes; intellectual property disputes; changes in product and customer mix; the Company's ability to develop, introduce and market new products and technologies on a timely basis; 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. Digi-Phy(tm) is a trademark of Broadcom Corporation. Giga-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.
CONTACT: Broadcom Corporation
Laura Brandlin, 949/450-8700
lbrandlin@broadcom.com
or
Catherine Batchelor, 760/944-8933
batchelor@broadcom.com |
