ITeX and NEC Join to Create MIPS-Based Reference Design for CPE

- NEC Rolls Out Network Controller LSI for ADSL-based SOHO Routers -

TOKYO May 10^th, 2000- Integrated Telecom Express, Inc. (ITeX^TM) and NEC Corporation (NEC) (NASDAQ: NIPNY) (FTSE: 6701q.l) have agreed to jointly develop and market a reference design for Asymmetric Digital Subscriber Line (ADSL) solutions aimed at modems, routers, gateways and other Internet access devices.

ITeX^*1 and NEC are cooperating to implement a complete "turnkey" solution that includes chipsets, optimized hardware design and software that accelerates time-to-market. The joint reference design utilizes a new NEC network controller and ITeX's ADSL hardware and software technology to provide an integrated, versatile and cost-effective solution for Customer Premises Equipment (CPE).

ITeX's ADSL technology, with proven driver and network protocol software, enables development of state-of-the-art CPE equipment. ITeX's ADSL technology is completely compatible with ANSI T1.413 Issue 2, ITU G.dmt and G.lite, and has demonstrated comprehensive interoperability at the University of New Hamsphire's InterOperability Laboratory (UNH-IOL) with all major DSL Access Multiplexers (DSLAMs). ITeX's ADSL technology also optimizes downstream and upstream rates with demonstrated loop reach of up to 20,000 feet.

With the agreement between the companies, NEC has also begun sampling of a network controller LSI for small office/home office (SOHO) router applications. The [mtu] PD98501 has a high performance 100MHz MIPS CPU as its host processor, an Asynchronous Transfer Mode (ATM) cell processor, a communication device class USB controller and two 10/100Mbps Ethernet controllers. The integrated ATM cell processor supports ATM Adaptation Layer 2 (AAL2), a technology that enables Voice over DSL^*2 (VoDSL) with 16 voice channels in parallel with Internet data access. The dual channel Ethernet controller can be used in a typical SOHO router application where one channel connects to a WAN Web server and the other channel connects to a firewall-protected LAN. Aimed at meeting the requirements for DSL equipment in the US SOHO and consumer market, the [mtu] PD98501 is expected to go into volume production from July 2000.

"We're very pleased to be working with ITeX on a turnkey reference design that will enable this level of broadband access products with so many advantages for our customers. Between NEC's processor and peripheral I/O technology and ITeX's ADSL technology we intend to reduce time-to-market requirements for broadband network processors," explained Kyuichi Hareyama, General Manager 2^nd System LSI Division of NEC.

"ITeX is very excited about the joint development and marketing agreement with NEC to provide advanced, integrated ADSL network solutions," said Rich Forte, President and CEO of ITeX. Forte continued, "Together we will develop, manufacture and deliver reference designs and chips to meet current ADSL market demand for broadband networking products."

Notes:

*1: ITeX is a trademark of Integrated Telecom Express, Inc. NEC is a trademark of NEC Corporation in the United States and/or other countries. All other trademarks are the sole property of their respective owners.

*2: DSL (Digital Subscriber Line): A technology that dramatically increases the digital capacity of ordinary telephone lines (the local loops) into the home or office. DSL speeds are tied to the distance between the customer and the telco central office. DSL is geared to two types of usage. Asymmetric DSL (ADSL) is for Internet access, where fast downstream is required, but slower upstream is acceptable.
Unlike ISDN, which is also digital but travels through the switched telephone network, DSL provides "always-on" operation. At the telco central office, DSL traffic is aggregated in a unit called the DSL Access Multiplexor (DSLAM) and forwarded to the appropriate ISP or data network.
Courtesy of the TechWeb Encyclopedia: http://www.techweb.com/encyclopedia/defineterm?term=dsl