Atheros Communications Expands Performance
and Possibilities with First Draft 802.11n Wireless LAN Solutions
World’s
Only Triple-Radio Design Unleashes True Potential of MIMO Technology
SANTA CLARA, Calif., Jan. 23, 2006—Atheros
Communications Inc. (NASDAQ: ATHR), a leading developer of advanced
wireless solutions, today announced
the launch of its XSPAN® family
of wireless LAN (WLAN) technologies and availability of the AR5008, the
first series of chipsets to deliver XSPAN benefits. The AR5008
solutions, demonstrated earlier this month at the 2006 Consumer
Electronics Show (CES), are the first to be based on the draft 802.11n
specification confirmed last week by the IEEE. These next-generation
WLAN solutions will exploit the full potential of MIMO technology by
delivering breakthrough performance and industry interoperability. The
AR5008 solutions deliver six times the throughput of 802.11g and
802.11a/g products at extended range and with greater reliability. With
the 802.11n draft specification now in place, consumers will at last
enjoy the benefits of interoperable MIMO technology across a broad range
of devices and applications in the home and office as well as on the go.
XSPAN® with Signal-Sustain Technology™
With XSPAN, Atheros once again leads the
industry in innovation by introducing Signal-Sustain Technology™ (SST),
which unleashes the full potential of MIMO to significantly enhance
signal reliability and throughput at range. This is achieved through the
world’s first single-chip triple-radio RF design. The AR5008 delivers up
to 300 megabits-per-second (Mbps) physical data rate with real end-user
throughput of 150 to 180 Mbps, and achieves, on average, 50 percent
greater sustained throughput at range than 2x2 MIMO systems.
Signal Sustain Technology (SST)
dramatically increases link robustness and throughput by simultaneously
transmitting across three spatially-diverse signal paths, and
incorporating information from three receivers simultaneously within the
signal processing at the receiver. Such robustness cannot be achieved by
simply switching a smaller number of simultaneous transmitters between
additional antennas. Atheros’ integration of three complete RF transmit
and receive chains into a single chip, together with the inclusion of
the SST processing in the baseband, enables unmatched range and
robustness at price points comparable to less robust, competitive 2x2
MIMO solutions.
“With XSPAN, Atheros has leveraged its
outstanding integration and RF design capabilities to maximize the
potential of the draft 802.11n specification,” said Craig Barratt,
president and chief executive officer of Atheros Communications. “Our
unique triple-radio design elevates wireless LAN performance to a level
that will be hard to match at price points that will encourage rapid
adoption of this new, exciting technology.”
XSPAN Delivers the Wireless Triple Play
The Atheros AR5008 chipsets are the
company’s highest performance wireless LAN solutions to date. The family
of products leverages all of the mandatory technical elements contained
in the draft 802.11n specification, as well as several optional
features, to deliver the ultimate wireless triple play experience for
video, voice and data transmission throughout a home or office.
-
Video: With real world throughput
levels up to 180 Mbps, new wireless routers and gateways featuring
XSPAN with Signal-Sustain Technology will readily accommodate
multiple high-definition (HD) streams on a single home network.
-
Voice: Single-antenna wireless voice
handsets and legacy devices networked to Atheros-based access points
achieve range and robustness from Atheros’ triple transmitter
architecture. Atheros SST increases the total transmit power and
spatial redundancy, ensuring dropout-free coverage.
-
Data: The array of data applications
ranging from simple network computing to transmission of large data,
music or image files is enhanced through the high bandwidth provided
by XSPAN products.
“With the approval of a draft standard
by the IEEE 802.11n Task Group last week, it’s more clear than ever that
MIMO is the most important radio technology today – and perhaps ever,”
said Craig J. Mathias, a Principal with the wireless and mobile advisory
firm Farpoint Group (Ashland, MA). “Successful MIMO products will cover
a range of price points and applications, build upon the success of
wireless LANs to date, and finally level any remaining barriers to
wireless LANs becoming the default network connectivity for essentially
everyone.”
Atheros AR5008
Solutions
The Atheros AR5008
series of two-chip solutions is based on the world’s only triple-radio
chip paired with a baseband and Media Access Controller (MAC) chip. The
AR5008 series supports PCI and PCIe (PCI
Express™) host interfaces. The chipset solutions are comprised of:
Baseband/MACs
Triple Radios
-
AR2133 (3 Tx, 3 Rx, single-band 2.4 GHz)
-
AR5133 (3 Tx, 3 Rx, dual-band 2.4/5GHz)
Atheros also provides its customers with
end-to-end reference designs for wireless access points and routers,
CardBus and Mini Card adapters. With its highly scalable architecture,
Atheros’ technology is available in multiple configuration options,
including 2x2, 2x3 and 3x3, offering physical data rates up to 600 Mbps
and supporting a wide range of market segments and wireless
applications.
The Atheros Advantage
The new 802.11n draft specification
defines an array of technical elements that Atheros is uniquely
qualified to deliver.
-
2.4/5 GHz Dual-band Operation: Industry
experts concur that 2.4/5 GHz dual-band operation will be
fundamental to 802.11n devices. Atheros has been shipping dual-band
products since 2002 and has unique experience in achieving worldwide
regulatory approval in the 5 GHz band.
-
40 MHz Channel Mode Operation, Packet
Aggregation and Packet Bursting:
In 2003 Atheros commercialized
products containing 40 MHz channel mode operation, packet
aggregation and packet bursting with its highly successful Super G®
and Super AG® technologies.
-
Transmit Beamforming and Maximal Ratio
Combining (MRC): Atheros began shipping its first-generation
MIMO solutions in 2004, which feature transmit beamforming, smart
antenna and maximal ratio combining (MRC), and has achieved
significant MIMO market share with end-products based on Atheros’
solutions.
-
Leading Integration: Atheros’
integration leadership has been proven repeatedly. It was the first
company to launch a single-chip 802.11g device and a single-chip
2.4/5 GHz dual-band device, and now, with the new AR2133 and AR5133,
Atheros is the first to launch a single chip with three complete
transmitters and receivers.
The company’s proven track record of
innovation and commercial success with technologies contained in the
802.11n draft is unmatched in the industry and ensures Atheros customers
a low risk, rapid path to market with products based on the new 802.11n
draft specification.
Atheros is currently sampling the AR5008 chipsets to its customers.
About Atheros
Communications, Inc.
Atheros Communications is a leading
developer of semiconductor system solutions for wireless communications
products. Atheros combines its wireless systems expertise with
high-performance radio frequency (RF), mixed signal and digital
semiconductor design skills to provide highly integrated chipsets that
are manufacturable on low-cost, standard complementary metal-oxide
semiconductor (CMOS) processes. Atheros technology is being used by a
broad base of leading customers, including personal computer, networking
equipment and handset manufacturers. For more information, visit
www.atheros.com
or send email to
info@atheros.com.
# # #
Atheros, the Atheros logo, Super G,
Super AG, XSPAN and Signal-Sustain Technology are trademarks of Atheros
Communications, Inc. All other trademarks mentioned in this document are
the sole property of their respective owners.
FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENT:
Except for the historical
information contained herein, the matters set forth in this press
release, including statements regarding the features, performance and
benefits of Atheros’ XSPAN family of products; the possibility of
wireless LANs becoming the default network connectivity for everyone;
the expected timing of the availability; and the anticipated adoption of
wireless LAN technology as a result of the adoption of the 802.11n draft
standard and the increased capabilities of 802.11n-based technology, are
forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities
Litigation Reform Act of 1995. These forward-looking statements are
subject to risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to
differ materially, including, but not limited to, difficulties in
development and manufacture of new products and upgraded products;
unforeseen problems in the performance of the XSPAN family of products,
including the AR5008, upon volume production and broad deployment;
whether the draft 802.11n standard is adopted as the final standard; the
timing of introduction and volume production of 802.11n-based products
by our competitors; the effects of competition and technological
developments that could affect the increased adoption of wireless LAN
technology; global economic conditions; whether Atheros is successful in
marketing its 802.11n products; and other risks detailed in Atheros’
Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the quarter ended September 30, 2005
as filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission and in other
reports filed with the SEC by Atheros from time to time. These
forward-looking statements speak only as of the date hereof. Atheros
disclaims any obligation to update these forward-looking statements.
