New Ethernet Controller Solutions for PCs Offer Unprecedented Power Efficiency and Enhance Atheros' Growing ETHOS(TM) PortfolioSANTA CLARA, CA, Jan 06, 2009 (MARKET WIRE via COMTEX News Network) -- Atheros Communications, Inc. (NASDAQ: ATHR), a leading developer of
advanced semiconductor system solutions for wireless and wired
communications, today announced it has shipped over 50 million ETHOS
Gigabit and Fast Ethernet chip solutions. With best-in-class power,
size and system-cost efficiencies, Atheros' Ethernet solutions have
gained significant traction with the world's leading PC, and carrier,
home, and small and medium business (SMB) network equipment
manufacturers. Atheros also announced the addition of two new
solutions to its ETHOS portfolio, the AR8131M Gigabit Ethernet and
AR8132M Fast Ethernet controllers for PCs, and volume production of
the AR8316 Gigabit Switch.
Since entering the Ethernet market, Atheros has designed a
comprehensive line of products to meet the Ethernet requirements of
its broad customer base in the wireless connectivity markets.
Leveraging its industry-leading integration and attention to
engineering detail, Atheros has developed a portfolio of solutions
that feature superior performance, power and cost benefits. Atheros'
Gigabit and Fast Ethernet solutions also now lead the industry in
package size and advanced features. This product leadership has
resulted in Ethernet controller design wins with six of the top ten
notebook PC manufacturers and three of the top four desktop
motherboard manufacturers, as well as switch designs with five of the
top access point manufacturers.
ETHOS products are engineered to deliver enhanced performance and
value for PC, retail networking and carrier gateway products,
particularly those supporting the high-performance capacity of
Atheros XSPAN(R), the world's most widely adopted 802.11n technology.
With the increasing adoption and performance capacity of 11n, demand
for Gigabit Ethernet (GbE) networking is growing. To satisfy the
requirement for more bandwidth by today's consumer applications and
triple-play home networks, PC, retail networking and the carrier
markets have adopted GbE technology for its ability to readily
address multimedia applications, making Gigabit Ethernet the de facto
standard in networking systems and PC platforms worldwide.
"We are pleased to have achieved this significant 50-million chipset
milestone with our ETHOS products," said George Chu, vice president
and general manager of the company's Ethernet business unit. "With our
growing ETHOS portfolio of products, we are continually enhancing our
ability to serve the complete networking silicon needs of our broad
customer base."
New AR8131M and AR8132M PCI Express (PCIe) Ethernet Controllers for
PCs Deliver Unparalleled Low Power Efficiency
The AR8131M Gigabit Ethernet and AR8132M Fast Ethernet controllers
are Atheros' third-generation solutions, featuring best-in-class
power, RBOM and size efficiencies, enabling PC makers to deliver
high-performance, cost-competitive notebook and desktop
LAN-on-Motherboard designs.
Market-leading energy efficiency is achieved in these controller
solutions through power-saving techniques and protocols, including
Automatic Power Savings (APS) technology, which dynamically manages
Ethernet connection power levels by sensing when a PC is in sleep or
no-activity state, and Atheros' Green Ethernet technology, which
detects Ethernet cable lengths and adjusts power usage accordingly.
Applying these methods, the AR8131M and AR8132M consume only 20mW
during the notebook's wireless operation, and less than 10mW when in
stand-by mode, to deliver power efficiencies unmatched by any
competitor.
The Atheros AR8131M and AR8132M are the industry's smallest Gigabit
and Fast Ethernet controller solutions, and are available in 48-pin,
6mm x 6mm QFN packages. These high-quality packages offer superior
electrical and thermal performance versus leaded QFP packages. In
addition, the AR8131M and AR8132M controllers feature the lowest RBOM
costs by integrating the switching regulator and 512 bytes of EEPROM
onto a single chip. These highly efficient designs ensure that
customers benefit from the quality, reliability and value they have
come to expect from Atheros.
Atheros AR8316 Gigabit Ethernet Switch Now in Volume Production
Atheros' flagship AR8316 Gigabit Ethernet switch, expressly
engineered for wireless routers, carrier gateways and IP set-top
boxes, is now shipping in volume. The AR8316 is Atheros' most
energy-efficient Ethernet switch to-date, capable of consuming less
than 0.1W of power when a device is idle, resulting in an
extraordinary 96.5 percent power savings versus full-traffic
operation. In addition, the switch uses Atheros' Green Ethernet
technology to intelligently detect the length of the Ethernet cable
and adjust power usage accordingly. In a typical home environment,
where shorter cables are utilized, the AR8316 consumes only 2.4 watts
of power.
Beyond its low-power efficiency, the AR8316 supports the programmable
Access Control List (ACL) feature, which enables sophisticated QoS
and security policies. Advanced carrier-class features, such as
802.1p, DSCP, Bandwidth Control/Guarantee, and Hardware IGMP, make
the AR8316 one of the most innovative and economical switches
available for carrier applications. These attributes are packed into
the industry's smallest GbE switch, which is available in a 176-pin
EPAD 20mm x 20mm TQFP package. Atheros also offers a more compact
design for unmanaged switch applications, the AR8315, available in a
128-pin EPAD 14mm x 20mm LQFP package.
Availability
For more information about Atheros' complete portfolio of ETHOS
solutions, please visit http://www.atheros.com/pt/ethernet_index.htm.
About Atheros Communications, Inc.
Atheros Communications is a leading developer of semiconductor system
solutions for wireless and wired communications products. Atheros
combines its wireless and networking systems expertise with
high-performance radio frequency (RF), mixed signal and digital
semiconductor design skills to provide highly integrated chipsets
that are manufactured on low-cost, standard complementary metal-oxide
semiconductor (CMOS) processes. Atheros technology is used by a broad
base of leading customers, including personal computer, networking
equipment and consumer device manufacturers. For more information,
please visit http://www.atheros.com or send email to
info@atheros.com.
Atheros, the Atheros logo, ETHOS and XSPAN are trademarks of Atheros
Communications, Inc. All other trademarks mentioned in this document
are the sole property of their respective owners.
NOTE ON FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS:
Except for the historical information contained herein, the matters
set forth in this press release, including the features, benefits and
performance of Atheros' ETHOS products, the anticipated growth of
demand for GbE networking, and the expected success of Atheros in the
Ethernet market, 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 the development of new and enhanced
products, general economic conditions, the effects of competition and
technological change, and the risks detailed in Atheros' Annual
Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2007 and its
Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the quarter ended September 30,
2008, 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.
SOURCE: Atheros
