Proxim First to Ship 802.11a CardBus Cards with 100 Mbps Wireless Networking; Harmony 802.11a Family Enables a New Era of High Speed Wireless Mobility

Business Wire, Oct 8, 2001

Business Editors/High-Tech Writers

SUNNYVALE, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Oct. 8, 2001

Proxim, Inc., (Nasdaq:PROX), the leader in wireless broadband networking, today announced the availability of the first IEEE 802.11a-compliant products for the enterprise, offering unmatched speed for wireless connectivity. Harmony 802.11a products enable connection speeds up to 100 Mbps in Proxim's 2X mode, with better throughput at any range than 802.11b, a current 11 Mbps standard. With speeds up to 100 Mbps, users can now share large files, such as presentations and spreadsheets, distribute and play high-quality multimedia content, and collaborate on projects over a wireless network at wired network speeds.

"Proxim is pleased to be the first company to allow deployment of this groundbreaking new capability in wireless LAN technology," said Lynn Chroust, director of the commercial networks business unit for Proxim. "Proxim's 802.11a product family provides the industry's fastest wireless LAN, with 100 Mbps speeds for conference room collaboration, classroom networking and public hot spots."

Proxim is now shipping the Harmony 802.11a FastWireless(TM) Networking Kit, allowing ad-hoc mobile networking at 100 Mbps. The Harmony FastWireless(TM) Networking Kit includes two 802.11a CardBus Cards, accompanying software, and simple instructions on creating high-speed ad-hoc networks. For secure wireless access to enterprise network resources, Proxim will ship the Harmony 802.11a Access Point in November of this year.

"802.11a is poised to help enterprises leverage wireless networks without sacrificing connection speeds," said Gemma Paulo, industry analyst with Cahners In-Stat. "With the introduction of its 802.11a CardBus Card, Proxim is one of the leaders in bringing this technology to the market."

With Harmony 802.11a, the speed, capacity, and reliability of enterprise wireless LANs is dramatically improved. 802.11a offers significantly more channels than 802.11b, allowing much greater scalability for large deployments. Operating in the license-free 5 GHz band, 802.11a also provides network connectivity with no interference from 2.4 GHz devices such as cordless phones, microwave ovens, Bluetooth devices, and other wireless LANs. The Harmony 802.11a family is fully IEEE 802.11a-compliant, and offers 54 Mbps data rate in 802.11a mode. Proxim's 2X mode adds data rates up to 100 Mbps, incorporating over 15 years of Proxim wireless LAN expertise.

Proxim's 802.11a CardBus Card is based on the industry leading AR5000 chipset from Atheros Communications. "The market has been anxiously waiting to see 802.11a products," said Mark Bercow, Atheros vice president of Marketing. "Atheros is pleased that we are able to help Proxim bring this groundbreaking product to customers."

Price and Availability

The Harmony 802.11a FastWireless(TM) Networking Kit is available now for $449. The individual Harmony 802.11a CardBus Card is available now for $249.

About Harmony

Harmony is the most secure and flexible enterprise wireless networking solution available, with support for all leading wireless standards. Harmony lets enterprises deploy both IEEE 802.11b and high-speed 802.11a wireless networks simultaneously. For enterprise customers implementing wireless solutions, Harmony reduces equipment acquisition costs, installation complexity and long-term operating costs by centralizing network management, communication and security services.

About Proxim

Proxim, Inc. (Nasdaq:PROX), the leader in wireless broadband networking, has over 15 years of experience designing and building wireless broadband networking solutions for the enterprise, service provider and home markets. The Harmony(TM) product family provides long-term investment protection for enterprises through the industry's first multi-standard architecture designed to work with any wireless technology. Harmony also offers a broad range of design-in modules for OEMs. The Stratum(TM) product family offers a range of broadband access solutions and building-to-building networking connectivity for enterprises and service providers. The Symphony(TM) product family offers easy-to-use, inexpensive wireless networking for homes. The Skyline(TM), Netline(TM) and Homeline(TM) product families provide a broad range of wireless, Ethernet and HPNA solutions, respectively, for small businesses and schools. Proxim is a member of the Wireless Ethernet Compatibility Alliance and a Promoter of the Home Radio Frequency Working Group along with Compaq, Intel, Siemens, Motorola, National Semiconductor and other leaders in the wireless market. The company is headquartered in Sunnyvale, California with offices globally. Visit www.proxim.com for more information.