Broadcom Announces European Launch of First EuroDOCSIS Residential Gateway Chip with VoIP Telephony and Home Networking Technology

Business Wire, Oct 18, 2000

Business Editors/High Tech Writers

Broadband Communications Europe Show 2000

LONDON--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Oct. 18, 2000

Broadcom (Nasdaq:BRCM)

Revolutionary IC Offers European Cable Operators Open-Standards-Based

Delivery of Primary Line VoIP Telephone, High-Speed "Always On"

Internet Access, Streaming Audio and Video and Home Networking

Services

Broadcom Corporation (Nasdaq: BRCM), the leading provider of integrated circuits enabling broadband communications, today announced the European launch of the industry's most advanced single-chip EuroDOCSIS residential gateway chip, with features including Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) telephony, home networking, and IP security technology.

The Broadcom(R) BCM3352 is the world's first European Data Over Cable Service Interface Specification (EuroDOCSIS) residential gateway that directly addresses primary-line IP cable telephony. The comprehensive capabilities of this highly integrated chip will pave the way for European cable operators to transition into multi-service broadband providers of multi-line VoIP telephony, high-speed, always-on Internet access, audio and video streaming, and secure networking of PCs and peripherals throughout the home.

The EuroDOCSIS standardization process is moving forward rapidly, as evidenced by the approval on October 6th of the European Telecommunications Standards Institute (ETSI) of a DOCSIS Radio Frequency Interface, including EuroDOCSIS. The ratification reinforces European commitment to this internationally compatible standard, as already approved by the equivalent North American body, the Society for Cable Television Engineers-Digital Subscriber Services.

In September, Broadcom demonstrated its clear leadership position in EuroDOCSIS cable modem technology when tCom Labs in Ghent, Belgium announced its latest round of certifications. Major manufacturers who received EuroDOCSIS certification for Cable Modem Termination Systems (CMTS) and cable modems based on Broadcom chips include 3Com, Askey, Dassault, Ericsson and Motorola.

"High-speed Internet access over cable is exploding in Europe," said Tim Lindenfelser, Vice President and General Manager of Broadcom's Broadband Communications Business Unit. "With its support for EuroDOCSIS and DOCSIS, the BCM3352 will usher in broadband IP telephone and data connections as regular, simple-to-use services offered by cable companies worldwide."

Andre du Croix, General Manager of Deltakabel Telekom, a leading provider of cable modem solutions and part of Lucent Technologies, commented, "Primary line VoIP telephony represents a tremendous growth opportunity for cable and the advanced capabilities and low power consumption of the BCM3352 will provide just the catalyst the European market needs for rapid deployment of VoIP services."

Frost & Sullivan's "World IP Telephony Equipment Market" report predicts that the world market for IP equipment will grow from US$279 million in 1998 to US$10 billion by 2005. The report forecasts that 32% of this revenue from IP equipment will come from European markets.

"The BCM3352 is providing MetaVector Technologies with the leading edge technology to meet the cost, power, and feature requirements for our cable modem products," said Jos Huybrighs, Technology Manager of MetaVector Technologies. "Broadcom's unique ability to successfully integrate all of these technologies into a single chip now makes it economical for wide-scale deployment of IP telephony and home networking gateways."

The BCM3352 Four-Channel QAMLink(R) VoIP/Home Networking Residential Broadband Gateway achieves an unprecedented level of integration. It combines Broadcom's industry-leading and proven system-on-a-chip expertise in DOCSIS/EuroDOCSIS broadband cable modems, HomePNA 2.0 home networking, a 200 MIPS VoIP Digital Signal Processor (DSP), a 4-channel IP optimized voice CODEC, and IP security technology into a single-chip solution.

Integrated into this chip, Broadcom's 32 megabit per second (Mbps) iLine20(TM) HomePNA technology expands the bandwidth capacity of existing home telephone wiring, enabling consumers to receive multiple digital services from their cable operator without any additional wiring. Real-world applications that will benefit from the single-chip solution include:

-- Lower Cost Digital Local and Long Distance Telephone Service using cable

-- Four (4) Cable Telephone Lines using one (1) telephone wire

-- Always-On "Plug and Play" High-Speed Broadband Internet Access on any phone
line and any telephone jack

-- "Work at Home" using the integrated advanced IP Security (IPSec) VPN
Processor

-- Multiple PC Networking

-- PC Video Conferencing

-- PC Telephony

-- Printer Sharing

-- Broadband IP Video Services

-- Networked MP3 Digital Audio

-- Home Security Monitoring

-- Home Energy Management

-- Wireless PC, Webpad, and Phone Connectivity

-- Firewall Internet Content Filtering

-- Home Network and Internet Gaming

The BCM3352 is currently sampling and is included as part of the BCM93352V reference design. The chip is priced at $59 in 100K quantities and is offered in a 484-pin plastic BGA package.