ADSL2 Moves A Step Closer to Launch -- Successful Performances Marked the Latest DSL Forum ADSL2 Interoperability 'Plugfest' at UNH-IOL.

Business Editors/High-Tech Writers

ADSL2 plugfest 2003

DURHAM, N.H.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--July 16, 2003

Ten ADSL2 Chipset Developers Push Towards Increased Bandwidth For

Enhanced Broadband Applications Offered By ADSL2 Physical Layer

Interoperability Progress

The DSL Forum announced the success of its second multi-vendor ADSL2 "plugfest" interoperability event conducted at the end of June in conjunction with the University of New Hampshire's InterOperability Laboratory (UNH-IOL) in Durham, NH. At the DSL Forum-sponsored interoperability plugfest, ten ADSL2 chipset developers performed three basic physical layer tests, defined in the DSL Forum's internal "Proposed Draft 013 - Interoperability Test Plan for ADSL2 Plugfests" (PD-013).

"The strong attendance and performance at this second ADSL2 'plugfest' event provides evidence that the DSL industry is geared up to fight for the triple play space--voice and data as always, and now especially video," said Tom Starr, president of the DSL Forum. "Our role is to broaden DSL interoperability and reach, to ensure effective broadband support of emerging applications and content. ADSL2 is a fundamental element in achieving the next major steps in delivering DSL benefits to mass markets around the world and plugfests such as this are vital for expediting these DSL advancements."

ADSL2 (also known as ITU Recommendation G.992.3) is the new standard that was approved by the International Telecommunications Union (ITU) in August 2002. It provides numerous improvements over existing ADSL standards including line diagnostics, power management, power cutback, reduced framing and online configuration. The ITU has also recently approved the ADSL2plus standard, which builds on ADSL2 by expanding the bandwidth to approximately 2 MHz and increasing achievable data rates to more than 20 Mbps.

Scott Valcourt, Managing Director of the University of New Hampshire InterOperability Laboratory comments: "The increased participation levels and great success in terms of G.hs and initialization interoperability clearly demonstrate that ADSL2 as a technology is steadily advancing and becoming increasingly interoperable on a worldwide scale, with ADSL2plus closely on its heels."

PD-013 is a testing suite that provides three basic physical layer tests to ensure interoperability between multiple chipsets and systems supporting ADSL2. Test results were gathered through the use of technical analyses, one specific to Central Office (CO) solutions, and one specific to Customer Premises Equipment (CPE) solutions. The plugfest results showed immense progress.

The ten silicon companies participating in the most recent ADSL2 plugfest were:

Analog Devices, Inc. (NYSE: ADI)

Aware, Inc. (NASDAQ: AWRE),

Broadcom Corporation (NASDAQ: BRCM)

Catena Networks

Centillium Communications, Inc. (NASDAQ: CTLM)

Infineon Technologies AG (FSE/NYSE: IFX)

GlobespanVirata, Inc. (NASDAQ: GSPN)

Realtek Semiconductor Corp.

Samsung Electronics Co, Ltd.

Texas Instruments Incorporated

A third plugfest for ADSL2 chipsets is scheduled for the week of August 4, 2003, followed by a plugfest open to all ADSL2 system vendors-- DSLAM, CPE, testing equipment, and chipset developers are all expected to participate-- to test extensions to the ADSL2, including ADSL2plus and Reach Extended ADSL2 standard the week of August 11, 2003, both at the UNH-IOL.

To register for the upcoming plugfest: http://www.iol.unh.edu/consortiums/adsl/grouptest/aug03gtp.html

About the DSL Forum

The DSL Forum is an international industry consortium of nearly 200 leading service providers, equipment manufacturers and other interested parties, focused on developing the full potential of broadband DSL to meet the needs of the mass market. With the established goal of 200 million customers by 2005, the DSL Forum works to streamline processes, develop specifications and share best practices that set the stage for effective deployments, and explosive global DSL growth. By developing new standards and embracing new applications, the DSL Forum is tailoring DSL to meet the needs of the next generation of multi-media services and the online community. Established in 1994, more information about the DSL Forum is available from its industry site www.dslforum.org. Information tailored to end-users is available on www.dsllife.com.

DSL - more than a phone line - it's a global solution.

About the University of New Hampshire InterOperability Laboratory

The University of New Hampshire InterOperability Laboratory (UNH-IOL) is a non-profit organization that currently offers comprehensive interoperability and conformance-based testing services in the following network technology areas, individually know as Consortiums: 10Base-T, 10 Gigabit Ethernet, ADSL, Bridge Functions, DOCSIS, Fast Ethernet, Fibre Channel, Gigabit Ethernet, IPv6, iSCSI, MPLS, Power over Ethernet, Routing, SHDSL, VDSL, and Wireless. The mission of the UNH-IOL is two-fold: to educate and train undergraduate and graduate students from the University of New Hampshire in specific technology areas, and to provide a neutral multi-vendor environment for the purpose of identifying and solving complex interoperability problems. The test solutions that are created at the UNH-IOL offer a set of methods to increase interoperability through protocol operations, signaling, point-to-point and multi-system scenarios. Established in 1988, more information about the UNH-IOL is available on the web at http://www.iol.unh.edu/.