World’s First 7.2 Mbps True Single-Chip HSDPA Mobile Phone Processor

US Nevada : Broadcom Corporation (Nasdaq: BRCM), a global leader in semiconductors for wired and wireless communications, today announced a new cellular baseband processor that is fully compliant to the High-Speed Downlink Packet Access (HSDPA) standard for high-speed cellular data. The new mixed-signal monolithic chip integrates a complete Category 8 HSDPA modem that is capable of delivering 7.2 Mbps (megabits per second) connectivity, advanced digital signal processing (DSP) and multimedia functionality (for recording and playback of video and audio), and a high-performance ARM11™ applications processor. The new HSDPA-compliant processor is the latest addition to the Broadcom® CellAirity™ platform family and includes an advanced system architecture to support backward compatibility with legacy GSM cellular connectivity standards including WCDMA, EDGE, GPRS and GSM.

While competing solutions stack multiple die within a single package or even have multiple packages for analog and digital baseband functions, the Broadcom BCM2152 integrates this functionality—while also upgrading to a higher performance ARM11 processor—in a single 14mm X 14mm package. This level of integration, along with the significant advantages in cost, size, height, power, and performance the BCM2152 offers, sets Broadcom’s solution apart from any other solution today.

The exponential growth of portable digital multimedia in cellular handsets, portable media players and other mobile devices is driving end-user demand for higher speed cellular connectivity to enable wireless delivery and the sharing of larger multimedia files. HSDPA is the specification that addresses the need for higher wireless bandwidth and is the next evolution in cellular connectivity, largely because the Category 8 implementation of the standard provides up to 7.2 Mbps downlink data rates making large data file transfers to mobile devices both practical and economical.

Announced today is Broadcom’s BCM2152 processor that not only provides full HSDPA compliance, but also full support for all legacy GSM cellular technologies. This unique capability enables mobile devices based on Broadcom solutions to roam among worldwide networks, without interruption of voice or data services, while always being connected at the highest data rate available.

“Broadcom’s new HSDPA-compliant processor demonstrates the company’s tremendous commitment to become one of the major chip suppliers in the mobile handset space,” said Michael Thelander of Signals Research Group, LLC. “By being one of the first to market with a 7.2Mbps capable HSDPA solution that includes additional features, such as embedded multimedia processing and its proprietary M-Stream™ technology, Broadcom is well on the way toward accomplishing its objective.”

With advanced HEDGE (HSDPA + EDGE) capabilities, the new BCM2152 processor provides all of the key features required for next generation mobile phone handsets. This includes the integration of 2G (EDGE) cellular technology that is the back-up technology for 3G HSDPA, when those services are not available. By enabling much faster downloads of data (that require less cellular airtime), HSDPA reduces the cost (up to 30%) of delivering high-bandwidth applications when compared to prior generation technologies.

“The BCM2152 processor is the first in the industry to combine all of these cellular technologies on one piece of silicon, greatly simplifying the process of developing and bringing to market advanced handsets with universal network roaming capabilities,” said Jim Tran, Vice President and General Manager for Broadcom’s Mobile Communication Line of Business. “We are receiving enthusiastic responses from our customers on this technological accomplishment and we intend to aggressively drive this solution into commercial market segments.”

BCM2152 Product Details

The BCM2152 HSDPA baseband processor represents Broadcom’s third generation 3G solution, and the first to integrate all analog and digital baseband functionality on a single monolithic chip (14mm X 14mm BGA package). It features extensive hardware acceleration blocks for both modem and multimedia, in addition to a high performance ARM11 CPU that meets the high-performance applications processing requirements of next generation mobile devices.

In addition to supporting major connectivity interfaces, such as Bluetooth® and Wi-Fi®, the BCM2152 includes built-in multimedia support including an up-to-5 megapixel camera, multimedia encode and decode at 30 frames per second at CIF or QVGA resolutions, 64-voice polyphonic ring tones, and integrated audio amplifiers to support full duplex speaker phones. The BCM2152 processor also includes powerful security mechanisms to enable industry standard digital rights management (DRM) protocols, which are becoming a necessity for digital media players.

The new BCM2152 baseband processor also features Broadcom’s M-Stream technology, which significantly improves voice and data quality, particularly in areas with moderate or weak cellular signal conditions, resulting in less dropped calls, extended range coverage and an overall improved user experience. To maximize HSDPA performance, the BCM2152 features a high performance equalizer to ensure high throughput in challenging signal environments. The BCM2152 also integrates HDSPA and EDGE data paths as hardware accelerators to reduce power requirements and to offload CPU cycles for applications processing. The entire system is based upon Broadcom’s field proven EDGE and WCDMA technologies, and enables Broadcom’s customers to leverage their past software investment into next generation development.

Broadcom CellAirity HEDGE Platform

The new BCM2152 processor adds the new high-speed HSDPA functionality to the Broadcom CellAirity platform—a modular suite of silicon and software products—and provides complete handset reference implementations of the key technologies required for current and next generation advanced mobile devices. Device manufacturers can leverage Broadcom’s CellAirity platform designs to quickly bring to market handsets and other multimedia mobile devices with a broad range of capabilities from high-speed wireless connectivity to cutting-edge video and audio recording and playback. CellAirity also features industry-leading technologies for Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, FM radio, DVB-H mobile TV, multimedia and other features that will be integrated into next generation mobile devices.

Availability

The BCM2152 HSDPA mobile phone processor is now sampling to early access customers and is priced at $30 for 10K quantities. Broadcom is demonstrating the BCM2152 and its CellAirity Platform at CTIA Wireless in Las Vegas, Nevada, April 5 to 7, 2006.

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