Infineon Announces the Industry's First TC-PAM Based SHDSL Transceiver.

Business Editors/High Tech Writers

SAN JOSE, Calif. and MUNICH, Germany--(BUSINESS WIRE)--April 5, 2000

In a move that further expands its leading System-on-Chip (SoC) portfolio, Infineon Technologies today announced a single-chip, single-channel SHDSL (Symmetric High-bit-rate Digital Subscriber Loop) transceiver for customized high-speed subscriber access or central-office applications in the fast-growing Internet driven xDSL market.

Named SOCRATES, the Infineon transceiver features variable bit rates from 160Kbps to 2360Kbps and is fully compatible with the ETSI SDSL and ITU G.shdsl standards. The device is based on the highly sophisticated 16-level TC-PAM (Trellis Coded Pulse Amplitude Modulation) linecode, giving it excellent spectral compatibility with other transmission technologies. The introduction is a major step in Infineon's strategy to increase its data networking activities.

"Unlike currently available, HDSL based, single-pair 2.3 Mbit/s systems, the new SHDSL technology is standardized," said Christian Wolff, vice president and general manager of the Business Unit Transceivers Group at Infineon. "This guarantees interoperability and spectral compatibility, which together with the higher loop-reach is the precondition for mass deployment."

Approved by FSAN (Full Service Access Network), an international group of leading service providers, to co-exist with existing services, the SOCRATES transceiver is compatible with POTS, ISDN, ADSL, VDSL, or HDSL. It is also backwards compatible with Infineon's MuBIC MDSL transceiver

With the SOCRATES transceiver, service providers such as ILECs, CLECs and ISPs can provide near leased line services over existing copper wires, enabling a smooth transition from ISDN and T1/E1 services. Thanks to its low power consumption - less than one watt - and its high level of integration, SOCRATES is ideally suited for remote-feed applications, high-density linecards, DSLAMs, digital loop carriers, IADs and network terminators. The part is also targeted for applications like digital subscriber voice and data access, digital loop carriers, PCM-X systems T1/E1 replacement and fractional E1/T1 services. The integration of features like delay measurement also makes it suitable for radio-in-the-loop applications.

SOCRATES transceiver integrates the AFE (Analog Front End) including the line driver and hybrid, DSP data pump, ROM-based controller for start-up procedure, HDLC controller and TDM framer. The integration of all functions from the line interface to the framer gives the engineer a very simple design and a small form factor that reduces the overall board space. The built-in 8032-type microcontroller provides the user with a simple and easy set of commands for controlling and operating the transceiver.

The SOCRATES SHDSL single-chip transceiver, part number PEB22622, is available in sample quantities now. Housed in a 144-pin P-TQFP package, SOCRATES is priced at $35 in volume quantities for the integrated solution, which includes framer, microcontroller, clock generation, HDLC controller and hybrid.

About Infineon

Infineon Technologies AG, Munich, Germany, offers semiconductor solutions for applications in the wireless and wired communications markets, for the automotive and industrial sectors, for security systems and chip cards as well as memory products. With a global presence, Infineon operates in the US from San Jose, CA, and in the Asia-Pacific region from Singapore. In the fiscal year 1999 (ending September), the company achieved sales of Euro 4.24 billion (US $ 4.51 billion) with about 26,000 employees worldwide. The company is listed on the main market segment (Amtlicher Handel) of the Frankfurt Stock Exchange and at the New York Stock Exchange. Further information at www.infineon.com

Infineon and the stylized Infineon Technologies design are trademarks and servicemarks of Siemens AG. All other trademarks are the property of their respective owners.

Any statements in this document that are not historical facts are forward-looking statements that involve risks and uncertainties; actual results may differ from the forward-looking statements. Infineon Technologies undertakes no obligation to publicly release the results of any revisions to these forward-looking statements that may be made to reflect events or circumstances after the date hereof or to reflect the occurrence of unanticipated events.