Intersil Teams with Intel to Accelerate the Deployment of Wi-Fi -IEEE 802.11b- Wireless LAN Solutions

Intel Incorporates Intersil's PRISM 2.5 Chip Set in 2.4 GHz WLAN Products

October 22, 2001

Intersil Corporation (Nasdaq:ISIL), the world's leading developer of silicon technology for Wireless Local Area Networks (WLANs), announced today that it has teamed with Intel(R) Corporation to accelerate deployment of current and future Wi-Fi (IEEE 802.11b) wireless technology and products.

Intel has incorporated Intersil's PRISM(R) 2.5 chip set in the recently announced Intel(R) PRO/Wireless 2011B LAN products, a suite of products that can wirelessly transmit voice, data and video content at speeds up to 11 megabits-per-second (Mbps). The Intel PRO/Wireless 2011B LAN products include access points, PC cards, PCI adapters, embedded Mini-PCI cards and USB modules for use in notebook computers and other mobile devices, as well as residential gateways that will manage voice, data and video traffic to and among devices in the home.

"We are very pleased to team with Intel to further develop the Wi-Fi (802.11b) industry. The market for 802.11b is growing, applications are increasing and this relationship will further strengthen upward momentum in the 2.4 GHz band," said Greg Williams, president and CEO of Intersil. "We look forward to applying our silicon expertise to Intel's forthcoming products and helping deliver on this vision."

A recent research report issued by leading analyst firm Allied Business Intelligence (ABI) reported that Wi-Fi (802.11b) based WLAN products have achieved a 71 percent share of the home wireless networking market in 2001, up from 42 percent last year. ABI also reported that the market is also expected to be worth $2.4 billion by 2006.

"Wi-Fi systems deliver users the freedom of mobility plus increased productivity through untethered access to e-mail, the Internet and network servers anywhere in a home, corporate campus or public space such as airports or hotels," said Stephen Saltzman, director of Wireless LAN Products at Intel. "We're confident that coupling Intersil's PRISM WLAN technology with Intel's networking expertise will yield high performance solutions for current and future Wi-Fi (IEEE 802.11b) wireless products in the 2.4 GHz band."

Intersil's PRISM 2.5 wireless networking chip set is optimized for smaller form factors and embedded WLAN applications such as mini-PCI, USB or Compact Flash that are much smaller and are typically installed directly into the system during product assembly. PRISM 2.5 delivers wireless Ethernet networking with compliance to the Wi-Fi (IEEE's 802.11b) global standard. Optimized for high data rate (11 Mbps) performance, PRISM-based systems are feature-rich and provide fast, reliable performance in all types of networking environments. Advanced design and process technologies reduce power consumption, design complexity and total system cost. PRISM 2.5-based products will provide users with wireless access to networks and the Internet for fast and efficient transmission of data, video and Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) services.

The Global Wireless Market Embraces PRISM WLAN Technology

"Intersil is the number one manufacturer of wireless LAN chipsets and has been a driving force behind the success of WLANs," said a May 2001 WLAN report from Cahners In-Stat Group. Since introducing the PRISM WLAN chip set in 1996, industry-leading companies including Actiontec, Alcatel, ASUS, Casio, Cisco, Compaq, 3Com, Dell, D-Link, GemTek, Hewlett Packard, IBM, Intel, Legend, Linksys, Nokia, Nortel, Panasonic, Quanta, Samsung, Sharp, Siemens, SOHOware, Sony, SpectraLink, Symbol, Z-Com and Zoom have incorporated PRISM chips in WLAN product designs. PRISM technology is designed to comply with the IEEE's 802.11 global standard, and Intersil is a founding sponsor of the Wireless Ethernet Compatibility Alliance (WECA), whose Wi-Fi brand is a mark of compatibility for 802.11-based systems.


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