Marvell Offers Second-Generation "Plug and Play" Fast Ethernet Transceivers for the Small Office/Home Office.

Business Editors, High-Tech Writers

SUNNYVALE, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--August 7, 2000

Marvell (Nasdaq:MRVL), a technology leader in the development of broadband mixed-signal and digital signal processing (DSP) technology solutions, today announced its second-generation DSP-based Hex and Octal Fast Ethernet transceivers. These feature-enhanced devices provide Small Office/Home Office (SOHO) end users with a true "plug and play" networking solution.

The introduction of Marvell's second-generation Hex and Octal Fast Ethernet transceivers follows its volume-production first-generation devices, whose introduction last September marked a significant milestone in the networking industry, breaking new ground in low power dissipation, higher Signal-to-Noise ratios and superior distance coverage/connection reliability.

Marvell's advanced 0.22 micron DSP-based Hex and Octal Fast Ethernet transceivers, the 88E3061 and the 88E3081, offer several new advantages.

The devices provide end-users with a single cable solution for true "plug and play" networking installation with the Automatic MDI/MDIX crossover feature. This feature enables Marvell's Fast Ethernet transceiver to automatically and transparently detect and correct incorrectly wired cables, making installation, debug and maintenance of the network easier and less expensive for the end user.

Marvell is first to market with devices that support the Source Synchronous option of Cisco's latest Serial Media Independent Interface (SMII) specification. This allows for simplified system design by reducing the I/O pin count between the transceiver and the Media Access Controller (MAC)/Switch. Jumbo frame support (handling large data packets) enabling effective utilization of networking bandwidth. Low power consumption allowing for more reliable networking systems and higher port density. Simplified board design with fewer external components providing lower overall system cost.

Marvell's DSP-based Fast Ethernet transceivers with advanced functionality address the networking requirements of the SOHO market where ease of use, cost and low power are essential. The DSP technology originates from the company's leading-edge Gigabit Ethernet solutions. Marvell's recent introduction of the Alaska(TM) family of Gigabit Ethernet transceivers has proven itself as the de facto solution for the gigabit market segment by demonstrating the industry's lowest power dissipation at 1.8 Watts per 10/100/1000 channel, the smallest form factor packaging and industry-leading performance. The Alaska family solution addresses the high-bandwidth requirements of the rapidly growing enterprise-class and business desktop markets.

"Marvell's high performance, low power and easy-to-use 10/100 Ethernet switches provides the SOHO market with a simplified and effective networking solution. Our broad portfolio of advanced Fast Ethernet transceivers and industry-leading Alaska family of Gigabit Ethernet transceivers for the enterprise-class and business desktop markets has made Marvell the `one-stop shop' for the vast Ethernet market," stated Weili Dai, Marvell's Executive Vice President and General Manager of the Data Communications Group.

88E3061/88E3081 Fast Ethernet Transceiver Product Information

Marvell's 88E3061 Hex and 88E3081 Octal Fast Ethernet transceivers leverage technology developed through Marvell's first generation Physical Layer (PHY) transceivers as well as through its family of Alaska Gigabit Ethernet transceiver products and four generations of Partial Response Maximum Likelihood (PRML) read channels designed for the data storage market. The 88E3061/88E3081 is a six/eight port physical layer device for Ethernet 100BASE-X and 10BASE-T applications. It contains all of the active circuitry to convert data streams to and from six/eight MACS and twisted pair cables in full or half duplex mode.

Marvell's 88E3061 and 88E3081 transceivers support either the Reduced Media Independent Interface (RMII) or the Source Synchronous option of the Serial Media Independent Interface (SMII) for connection to very high port count switch chips. Source Synchronous SMII (SSMII) is designed for applications requiring a trace delay of more than 1 ns. The receive and transmit paths in source synchronous mode operate identically to the SMII interface, and is backward-compatible to SMII version 1.2.

Marvell's Hex and Octal PHY transceivers also support Auto-Media Independent Interface crossover (Auto-MDI/MDIX feature) for 100BASE-TX and 10BASE-T connections. The PHY interface can automatically determine whether or not it needs to cross over between pairs so that an external crossover cable is not required. If the 88E3061/88E3081 interoperates with a device that cannot automatically correct for crossover, the PHY makes the necessary adjustment prior to commencing Auto-Negotiation. Last, Marvell's Hex and Octal PHY transceivers provide Jumbo frame support up to 10Kbytes with large frequency offset tolerance of +/- 150 ppm. This feature allows the transceiver to support applications that demand a larger packet size, effectively utilizing networking bandwidth.

Availability

Marvell's 88E3061 Hex and 88E3081 Octal Fast Ethernet transceivers are available today and are offered in 128 and 208-pin PQFP packages, respectively.

About Marvell

Marvell is comprised of Marvell Technology Group Ltd. (MTGL) and its subsidiaries, Marvell Semiconductor Inc. (MSI), Marvell Asia Pte Ltd. (MAPL) and Marvell Japan K.K. (MJKK). On behalf of MTGL, MSI develops proprietary Communications Mixed-Signal Processing (CMSP) technology for increased information capacity of data storage and data communications products. MAPL is headquartered in Singapore and is responsible for Marvell's production and distribution operations. As used in this release, the terms "Company" and "Marvell" refer to the entire group of companies. The Company's proprietary CMSP technology combines custom digital signal processing algorithms to allow technology customers to store and move digital data on demand at high data access rates. MSI is headquartered at 645 Almanor Ave., Sunnyvale, Calif., 94085; phone: [phone], fax: [phone].

Safe Harbor Statement of Marvell under the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995: This release may contain forward-looking statements based on our current expectations, estimates and projections about our products, our industry, management's beliefs, and certain assumptions made by us. Words such as "anticipates," "expects," "intends," "plans," "believes," "seeks," "estimates," "may," "will," "should" and variations of these words or similar expressions are intended to identify forward-looking statements. In addition, any statements that refer to expectations, projections or other characterizations of future events or circumstances, including any underlying assumptions, are forward-looking statements. These statements are not guarantees of future performance and are subject to certain risks, uncertainties and assumptions that are difficult to predict. Therefore, market results may differ materially and adversely from those expressed in any forward-looking statements in this release.