BRCM: Broadcom Introduces Industry First Wi-Fi Router That Integrates 54g Technology With an 802.11g Radio,Ethernet Switching and MIPS Processing

Broadcom Corporation (Nasdaq: BRCM), a global leader in semiconductors for wired and wireless communications, today announced a new Wi-Fi® router solution that combines the company's industry-leading, high-performance 54g® wireless LAN baseband and MAC with an IEEE 802.11g (2.4 GHz) radio, Fast Ethernet switch and MIPS® processor, all in a single chip. Also included is Broadcom's new range-enhancement technology that significantly boosts the range of wireless devices without increasing power dissipation. With this new processor, Broadcom enables wireless router developers to provide the highest level of 54g functionality while meeting the price points that will help to drive continued demand for Wi-Fi connectivity products.

Even as the industry makes the transition to the next generation 802.11n standard, industry analyst firm In-Stat predicts that more than 148 million products based on the 802.11b/g Wi-Fi standards will be sold in 2007, creating a tremendous business opportunity for a highly integrated Wi-Fi home/SOHO router solution. To address this opportunity, Broadcom continues to improve its industry leading 54g technology, further expanding a well-established line of industry leading Wi-Fi products. With its unprecedented level of integration, the Broadcom® BCM5354 drives down the bill of materials (BOM) costs and decreases the total solution price with the goal of offering consumers lower prices on Wi-Fi equipment.

"Every access point, router and hot-spot that is deployed increases the overall value and potential of Wi-Fi in general, resulting in a ubiquitous networking technology that has been widely embraced by consumers," said Rahul Patel, Director of Marketing for Broadcom's WLAN infrastructure products. "The cost, size and integration benefits of Broadcom's new single-chip router product will help drive the continued proliferation of Wi-Fi access in the home, office and public hot-spot locations with the best performing, standards-based wireless LAN technology currently available on the market."

Improved Range and Single Chip Integration

The new Broadcom BCM5354 Wi-Fi router combines high-performance 54g technology, an all-CMOS 2.4 GHz Wi-Fi radio, Fast Ethernet switching, built-in support for USB 2.0, a MIPS instruction-set processor and support for multi-BSSID (which allows users to create and access multiple networks through a single access point) into a single system-on-a-chip (SoC). This high level of integration eliminates the need for up to 125 components required for a Wi-Fi router and reduces the number of printed circuit board (PCB) layers by 50 percent while delivering better performance and security than previously available from devices based upon multiple-chip solutions. Board designs based on the BCM5354 are also simplified due to the fewer number of components required and associated software that has been consolidated and optimized to further lower cost and complexity in the development of Wi-Fi router products.

The BCM5354 features a unique new range-enhancement technology from Broadcom that improves the range of wireless devices by up to 50 percent compared to competing products and provides an additional 25 percent improvement over previous generation Broadcom technology, with no increase in power usage. This new Wi-Fi enhancement from Broadcom directly leverages technologies that were developed for latest generation MIMO (multiple input, multiple output) radio devices to significantly improve the ability of the radio to detect even faint Wi-Fi signals, ensuring more reliable Wi-Fi coverage with sustained coverage and fewer dead spots for mobile device users.

Common with all Broadcom Wi-Fi products, the BCM5354 hosts the popular OneDriver™ software, which offers a number of features that deliver superior performance, security and ease-of-use for wireless networks. With built-in support for 125 High Speed Mode™, 10/100 Ethernet routing, and improved CPU processing power compared with previous generation Broadcom routers (or any competing solutions), the BCM5354 provides superior performance while enabling lower cost. In addition, the BCM5354 delivers the most advanced wireless LAN security in the industry, with built-in support for Wi-Fi Protected Access™ (WPA), WPA2 and IEEE 802.11i specifications.

Availability
The BCM5354 is now in mass production and is expected to ship in customer designs in the fourth quarter of 2006. The BCM95354GR advanced reference design based on the BCM5354 is also available. Prices are available upon request.


Broadcom's Wireless LAN Product Family

Broadcom's high performance AirForce™ wireless LAN product line includes 54g (the world's most popular Wi-Fi technology), and Intensi-fi™ (the industry's first draft-802.11n chipsets). In addition to transceiver solutions that provide single- and dual-band wireless connectivity, Broadcom integrates wireless network processors, communications technologies and its OneDriver software solutions into reference designs that speed customer time-to-market. The industry's leading manufacturers are developing computers, routers, peripherals, phones, broadband modems and a variety of consumer electronics devices connected by Broadcom technologies.