Alereon and Samyoung Electronics Partner to Develop WiMedia PHY Module; Small Footprint Ultrawideband Modules to Enable Mobile Products.

AUSTIN, Texas & SEOUL, Korea -- Alereon, a leading fabless semiconductor company developing wireless solutions for the WiMedia and Certified Wireless USB markets, and Samyoung Electronics, a leading provider of module solutions for communications applications, today announced a partnership to develop ultra-compact modules based on Alereon's AL4000 series of ultrawideband solutions for WiMedia and Certified Wireless USB applications.

The first in a series of modules developed by Samyoung is a Low Temperature Co-fired Ceramic (LTCC) module design based on the WiMedia PHY 1.0 specification, supporting all data rates up to 480 Mbps. Using Alereon's AL4100 RF Transceiver and AL4200 BaseBand Processor (BBP), this highly integrated 15mm x 20mm x 2.5mm module includes all components necessary to enable any WiMedia or Certified Wireless USB compatible Media Access Controller (MAC). Typical applications for this module include cell phones, mp3 players, personal video players and wireless USB hubs.

"This is an exciting first step in bringing WiMedia and Certified Wireless USB capability to mobile products. Leveraging our expertise in the development of Bluetooth modules for cell phones and related mobile applications, we expect to have a variety of products to meet the size and cost demands of today's mobile electronics," said Young-Shin Lee, R&D Director of Samyoung Electronics.

Alereon's AL4100 device is a highly integrated WiMedia compliant RF transceiver designed to optimize throughput while minimizing the power per Megabyte transferred in noisy RF environments. Featuring superior interference rejection capability and support for all WiMedia data rates up to 480 Mbps in both TFI and FFI time frequency modes, the AL4100 transceiver assures maximum throughput in the office, at home, or on-the-go. For ease of integration, the AL4100 transceiver includes an internal transmit/receive switch, power amplifier, all the required filters and synthesizers, and a single-ended antenna output that eliminates the need for an external balun. Implemented in highly cost effective 0.35 um SiGe BiCMOS process from Jazz Semiconductor, the AL4100 transceiver is offered in a very small 5mm x 5mm 32-pin VQFN package.

The AL4200 BBP is an exceedingly flexible WiMedia compliant baseband processor that features Alereon's CogniPHY(TM) cognitive radio technology. Designed to accommodate a wide variety of interference and regulatory scenarios, its highly programmable design includes extensive real time monitoring and diagnostic capabilities in excess of WiMedia requirements, all available through the standard WiMedia MAC/PHY interface. These features make optimal system performance over any number of operating conditions easy to achieve. The AL4200 BBP supports all the mandatory and optional data rates of the WiMedia PHY specifications from 55 Mbps up to 480 Mbps at full throughput, and offers an industry standard WiMedia MAC/PHY interface for seamless integration with the assortment of MACs, SOCs, and MPUs slated for release in 2006. The AL4200 BBP is implemented in a 130 nm CMOS process and is available in a compact 10mm x 10mm 108-pin BGA package.

"Alereon's CogniPHY(TM) technology includes advanced spectral sampling and sculpting technology, advanced dynamic power control, and high dynamic range which allows our customers' products to meet the regulatory requirements of many countries while simultaneously co-existing with other wireless systems in the ultrawideband spectrum," said Dr. Jim Lansford, CTO of Alereon. "An Alereon AL4000 based design can meet the regulatory requirements of many countries with only software changes, simplifying regulatory compliance."

"Alereon's engineering team was the first to demonstrate a 480 Mbps PHY chipset and is now the first to ship fully compliant WiMedia and Wireless USB PHY production parts," said Eric Broockman, CEO of Alereon.

"The announcement of our AL4000 product line further enhances Alereon's position as a leader in providing Certified Wireless USB and WiMedia UWB products to customers in our quest to eliminate the tangle of wires and cables around PC and consumer products."

The AL4100 transceiver and AL4200 BBP samples are now available with production volumes available in the first quarter of 2006. Budgetary pricing for the AL4000 PHY chipset including the AL4100 transceiver and AL4200 BBP is $9.86 in 10,000 piece quantities. The AL4300 MAC/BPP will be available in the first quarter of 2006.

About Alereon, Inc.

Alereon, Inc. is a fabless semiconductor company providing complete solutions for Certified Wireless USB and WiMedia ultra-wideband (UWB) applications. A technology pioneer, Alereon was first to demonstrate a WiMedia PHY running at 480Mbps in October of 2004. Alereon's products promise to replace the complex tangle of wiring used to interconnect today's consumer electronics, computer peripheral, and mobile devices with high-bandwidth, low-power, low-cost wireless links. Further information is available on the company's website: www.alereon.com.

About Samyoung Electronics Co. Ltd.

Samyoung Electronics Co. Ltd., established in 1968, specializes in LTCC module solutions for wireless communication applications. Samyoung modules provide compact, power-efficient and cost effective solutions by offering internally designed band pass filters, baluns and balanced filters. Further information is available on the company's website: www.samyoung.co.kr