Broadcom Announces New Line of Scalable, Feature-Rich 802.11n Router Solutions That Boost Performance and Cut Costs

LAS VEGAS, Jan. 6 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- 2010 International CES -- Broadcom Corporation (Nasdaq: BRCM), a global leader in semiconductors for wired and wireless communications, today announced new wireless LAN (WLAN) router system-on-a-chip (SoC) solutions with enhanced features, industry-leading performance and best-in-class power consumption to enable a full line of scalable 802.11n routers. With these new Intensi-fi® XLR SoC solutions, Wi-Fi® system OEMs can leverage unparalleled silicon integration to reduce the overall cost while still maintaining adequate multiple-input and multiple-output (MIMO) performance for streaming HD video throughout the home. Broadcom has optimized this new 802.11n router platform with its Accelerange(TM) technology for enhanced throughput and range performance along with advanced features that minimize power consumption for 'green' functionality modes.

Highlights/Key Facts:

• Sales of 802.11n routers are outpacing 802.11g routers as consumers seek faster and more reliable wireless connectivity. According to ABI Research, the 802.11n small office/home office (SOHO) and consumer access point shipments are 50 percent of the total shipments in 2010 and grow close to 100 percent in 2011 in comparison to 802.11g shipments.
• Broadcom's optimized 802.11n design platform includes the Broadcom® BCM5357, BCM5358 and BCM47186 WLAN solutions. These new 802.11n router options for low to high-end solutions include the:
  • BCM5357: Single-chip 2.4G entry-level IEEE 802.11n retail router
  • BCM5358: Single-chip 2.4G IEEE 802.11n application router with I2S, NAND and wireless voice gateway support
  • BCM47186: Single-chip high-performance simultaneous dual-band IEEE 802.11n Gigabit Ethernet router
• Broadcom uses the highly integrated 65 nanometer design process to reduce the number of system components on-chip, which lowers the rest-of-bill-of-materials (RBOM) cost by up to 35 percent. The new router solutions further reduce cost by using two-layer printed circuit boards (PCBs), making high-end routers more affordable to consumers while bringing the price of basic 802.11n routers within the range of 802.11g products.
• Broadcom's new router solutions allow Wi-Fi® system OEMs leeway for customization and differentiation. An integrated 8-bit NAND flash that allows increased memory sizes greater than typical NOR Flash along with I2S audio support enables new applications including Internet Music Player, network audio player, photo/file sharing, and webserver. A pulse code modulation (PCM) interface is also supported for voice over IP (VoIP) applications.
• The new Intensi-fi XLR platform builds upon the architecture of Broadcom's current 802.11n solutions and maintains data rates of up to 300 Megabits per second (Mbps) in each band. To provide Wi-Fi users with the best possible multimedia experience throughout a home, Broadcom has added its Accelerange technology enabling the deployment of several advanced techniques that ensure robust wireless signals over a larger coverage area, which is critical for video streaming and other low latency applications. Unlike competitive solutions, the BCM5357, BCM5358 and BCM47186 reduce cost without sacrificing performance.
• The key features of the new Wi-Fi router platform include:
  • Integrated IEEE 802.11n radio, media access controller (MAC), baseband, CPU, memory controller and 5-port Fast Ethernet switch
  • Low cost, 2-layer board design
  • Integrated 2.4 GHz power amplifier that has been proved in the field on shipping production platforms
  • USB 2.0 host port for storage and print server applications
  • Integrated WAPI (Wireless Authentication and Privacy Infrastructure) security Standard Core, which is required for all WLAN products sold in China
  • New applications and services support through NAND Flash and I2S
  • PCM interface support utilizing Broadcom's proven VoIP software stack
  • Low power modes for greener, environmentally-friendly products that dramatically reduce power consumption and lessen the overall impact on the environment
• The BCM5357, BCM5358 and BCM47186 are currently sampling to early access customers (pricing available upon request). Broadcom will be demonstrating these solutions at CES 2010.

Supporting Quotes:

Philip Solis, Practice Director, ABI Research:

"Simultaneous dual-band 802.11n is important for consumers who want to move entertainment content throughout their homes without cords or wires. Utilizing both parts of the spectrum multiplies the available bandwidth to support high-quality media streaming, deliver faster downloads and enhance online gaming. Sales of 802.11n routers will outpace 802.11g routers in 2010, as consumers seek faster and more reliable wireless connectivity."

Chandra Viswanathan, Senior Product Line Manager for Broadcom's Wireless LAN line of business:

"The proliferation of video and mobile services into the home is not only creating new usage models for consumer electronics devices, but is also increasing network infrastructure requirements. Our new 802.11n solutions are optimized to deliver maximum performance for video, VoIP and gaming applications throughout the digital home, and by adding features we enable our customers to differentiate their products. Broadcom has achieved new high levels of integration that enable these features, as well as system and end-product cost points to facilitate an accelerated transition to Wi-Fi CERTIFIED(TM) n routers."

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Broadcom Wireless Connectivity Group

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Other Supporting Resources:

BCM5357 and BCM5358 Product Page

http://bit.ly/5qx716

BCM47186 Product Page

http://bit.ly/7d48Z5

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About Broadcom

Broadcom Corporation is a major technology innovator and global leader in semiconductors for wired and wireless communications. Broadcom products enable the delivery of voice, video, data and multimedia to and throughout the home, the office and the mobile environment. We provide the industry's broadest portfolio of state-of-the-art system-on-a-chip and software solutions to manufacturers of computing and networking equipment, digital entertainment and broadband access products, and mobile devices. These solutions support our core mission: Connecting everything®.

Broadcom is one of the world's largest fabless semiconductor companies, with 2008 revenue of $4.66 billion, and holds over 3,650 U.S. and over 1,450 foreign patents, more than 7,750 additional pending patent applications, and one of the broadest intellectual property portfolios addressing both wired and wireless transmission of voice, video, data and multimedia.

A FORTUNE 500® company, Broadcom is headquartered in Irvine, Calif., and has offices and research facilities in North America, Asia and Europe. Broadcom may be contacted at +1.949.926.5000 or at www.broadcom.com.

Cautions regarding Forward Looking Statements:

All statements included or incorporated by reference in this release, other than statements or characterizations of historical fact, are forward-looking statements. These forward-looking statements are based on our current expectations, estimates and projections about our industry and business, management's beliefs, and certain assumptions made by us, all of which are subject to change. Forward-looking statements can often be identified by words such as "anticipates," "expects," "intends," "plans," "predicts," "believes," "seeks," "estimates," "may," "will," "should," "would," "could," "potential," "continue," "ongoing," similar expressions, and variations or negatives of these words. Examples of such forward-looking statements include, but are not limited to, the demand for 802.11n router solutions, our position in that market, and references to the timing of the transition to Wi-Fi CERTIFIED n routers. These forward-looking statements are not guarantees of future results and are subject to risks, uncertainties and assumptions that could cause our actual results to differ materially and adversely from those expressed in any forward-looking statement.

Important factors that may cause such a difference for Broadcom in connection with the BCM5357, BCM5358 and BCM47186 router SoC solutions include, but are not limited to:

• the rate at which our present and future customers and end-users adopt Broadcom's wireless technologies for wireless router solutions;
• trends in the wireless networking markets in various geographic regions, including seasonality in sales of consumer products into which our products are incorporated;
• competitive pressures and other factors such as the qualification, availability and pricing of competing products and technologies and the resulting effects on sales and pricing of our products;
• our ability to timely and accurately predict market requirements and evolving industry standards and to identify opportunities in new markets; and
• Delays in the adoption and acceptance of industry standards in those markets.

Additional factors that may cause Broadcom's actual results to differ materially from those expressed in forward-looking statements include, but are not limited to the list that can be found at http://www.broadcom.com/press/additional_risk_factors/Q42009.php.

Our Annual Report on Form 10-K, subsequent Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q, recent Current Reports on Form 8-K, and other Securities and Exchange Commission filings discuss the foregoing risks as well as other important risk factors that could contribute to such differences or otherwise affect our business, results of operations and financial condition. The forward-looking statements in this release speak only as of this date. We undertake no obligation to revise or update publicly any forward-looking statement, except as required by law.

Broadcom, the pulse logo, Connecting everything, the Connecting everything logo, Intensi-fi and Accelerange(TM) are among the trademarks of Broadcom Corporation and/or its affiliates in the United States, certain other countries and/or the EU. Any other trademarks or trade names mentioned are the property of their respective owners.

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    Trade Press                              Investor Relations
    Jessica Ingraham                         T. Peter Andrew
    Public Relations                         Vice President, Corporate
     Representative                           Communications
    949-926-8008                             949-926-5663
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SOURCE Broadcom Corporation; BRCM Mobile & Wireless