Freescale's Quad-Core DSPs Deliver Exceptional, 2 Gigahertz-Class Processing Performance.

AUSTIN, Texas -- Fully Programmable MSC812x DSPs with Four 500 MHz Cores Boost Computing Power for High-Density, Carrier-Class VoIP and Wireless Infrastructure Systems

Leveraging the computing power of four high-performance cores based on StarCore(R) technology, Freescale Semiconductor (NYSE:FSL) today introduced faster versions of its existing MSC812x family of multi-core digital signal processors (DSPs). Extending the performance of Freescale's MSC8122 and MSC8126 DSPs from 400 MHz to 500 MHz, these advanced devices enable increased channel densities for key wireless codecs. At this higher clock speed, these quad-core devices deliver a 50 percent increase in performance over the first-generation MSC8102, equivalent to a single DSP core running at 2 GHz with throughput at 8,000 MMACS - the industry's highest performance for a fully programmable DSP.

Built on the SC140 core based on StarCore technology, these high-performance DSP devices are highly optimized for multi-channel processing of voice, data, fax and video compression algorithms. Running at 500 MHz, the MSC812x DSPs are designed to enable developers of packet telephony, wireless transcoding, wireless base stations and video infrastructure to increase channel densities and reduce system costs. BDTI, an independent analyst firm, verified the performance of the MSC812x family. BDTI found that the SC140 core used in the MSC812x devices achieves a BDTIsimMark2000(TM) of 5610 at 500 MHz.(1) In addition to delivering exceptional processing power, these highly flexible, scalable and fully programmable DSPs are available at a competitive price per channel.

"Freescale's higher-speed MSC812x devices directly benefit wireless applications by offering proportionately more channels of complex wireless codecs such as AMR," said Sanjay Iyer, a senior analyst at the Linley Group. "The advanced processors widen Freescale's capacity advantage over TI's TNETV3010 processors while providing an expedient capacity upgrade for existing designs."

Freescale is committed to providing developers of wireless transcoding applications with accelerated paths to market using proven silicon and software. As part of this commitment, Freescale is collaborating with Trinity Convergence Inc., a premier partner for communications software for wireless and wireline applications, to provide support for the 500 MHz MSC8122 DSP. By using the feature-rich and field-hardened VeriCall software framework from Trinity Convergence, designers can increase channel densities for wireless transcoding by 25 percent over the 400 MHz version, delivering 148 channels of GSM-AMR (Adaptive-Multi-Rate), 108 channels of EVRC (Enhanced Variable-Rate Codec) and 88 channels of G.722.2 AMR-WB (Wideband).

"The MSC81xx DSPs from Freescale allow NACT to provide higher density, lower cost voice compression and decompression technology to our customers," says Brett Parkinson, vice president of business and development at NACT. "Freescale's commitment and ability to provide cutting-edge, cost effective technologies is critical to NACT and our customer's success in these ever-changing markets."

The MSC8126 device integrates four DSP cores, large on-chip memory, a turbo-coding co-processor (TCOP) and Viterbi co-processor (VCOP) to accelerate wireless baseband processing. At 500 MHz, the VCOP handles 400 3GPP 12.2Kbps AMR decoding channels and 200 Blind Transport Format Detection (BTFD) channels, and the TCOP handles 20 turbo-coding 384 Kbps channels. This highly integrated, single-chip device with its baseband co-processors is designed to provide 80 complete symbol rate channels of 3GPP voice AMR channels at 12.2 Kbps or 20 data channels of 3GPP at 384 Kbps including symbol-rate and chip-rate assist functions.

The MSC812x devices provide on-chip support for a variety of advanced interfaces, including:

--10/100 Mbps Ethernet controller supporting MII, RMII, and SMII interfaces

--32- or 64-bit SDRAM memory controller running up to 166 MHz

--32- or 64-bit host port for connectivity to host microprocessors

--1.43 Mbyte of on-chip memory

--Four TDM interfaces, each supporting 256 channels for connectivity to T1/E1, MVIP and H110 and bandwidth of up to 66Mbps per TDM interface

--Lead or lead-free, 431-pin FC-CBGA (20mm x 20mm) packages

--Turbo and Viterbi co-processors on the MSC8126

As a leader in DSP solutions for wireless infrastructure applications, Freescale has shipped multiple millions of DSPs based on StarCore technology since the architecture's inception in 2000. Freescale is the only supplier of programmable DSP solutions with binary code compatibility, spanning from four to 8000+ channels of VoIP.

"By developing with Freescale's family of DSPs based on StarCore technology, software engineers benefit from using one architecture and one software that scales from high to low densities," said Danny Petkevich, marketing director for Freescale's infrastructure DSPs. "With other DSP offerings, a software engineer would need to re-port the software as they move up the performance curve, which adds costs for porting, testing and maintenance for the multiple code bases for the multiple architectures."

Freescale is not only a leading supplier of high-performance DSP products but also a global provider of technical support designed to accelerate customers' design cycles and speed time to market.

Pricing and Availability

The MSC8122 and MSC8126 devices operating at 500 MHz are planned to be available for sampling in January 2005, with full production planned for April 2005. The MSC8122 and MSC8126 at 400 MHz and 300 MHz are available now for general sampling, with production expected in January 2005. For pricing information, please contact your local Freescale sales office or your Freescale authorized distributor. To learn more about Freescale's MSC812x DSP portfolio, visit www.freescale.com/dsp.

About Freescale Semiconductor

Freescale Semiconductor, Inc. (NYSE:FSL) is a global leader in the design and manufacture of embedded semiconductors for the automotive, consumer, industrial, networking and wireless markets. Freescale became a publicly traded company in July, 2004 after more than 50 years as part of Motorola, Inc. (NYSE:MOT). The company is based in Austin, Texas, and has design, research and development, manufacturing or sales operations in more than 30 countries. Freescale Semiconductor's 2003 sales were $4.9 billion (US). For more information: www.freescale.com.

Freescale(TM) and the Freescale logo are trademarks of Freescale Semiconductor, Inc. All other product or service names are the property of their respective owners.

(1) The BDTIsimMark2000(TM) provides a summary measure of DSP speed. For more information and scores see www.BDTI.com. Scores (C) 2004 BDTI. The BDTIsimMark2000(TM) is one of the industry's most respected measures for digital signal processor (DSP) performance and is a frequent resource for system designers evaluating processors.