News & Events
Intersil Unveils Modem Chip Set and Reference Design For 155 Megabit per Second Broadband Wireless Access

— Broadband wireless modem chipset offers fiber-like performance and reliability

IRVINE, CA. — November 30, 2000 — Intersil Corporation (NASDAQ: ISIL), a leading provider of silicon technology for wireless access and communications analog markets, today unveiled a broadband wireless modem chip set and reference design that support wireless Internet and third generation (3G) cellular infrastructures. Intersil’s new broadband wireless access (BWA) modem chip set — developed at recently acquired SiCOM, Inc. — is designed to enable rapid, low-cost deployment of point-to-point microwave systems that support wireless transmission of voice, data and video at OC3 speeds of up to 155 megabits per second (Mbps).

"Our vision is to create wireless zones of connectivity in homes, offices and for people on the go," said Greg Williams, Intersil’s President and CEO. "Our initial BWA modem chip set and reference design is the first of many upcoming broadband wireless access developments at Intersil that we plan to introduce in the coming months. It enables broadband capacity to be driven deep into the metropolitan area network (MAN) so that it will ultimately be possible to wirelessly connect businesses and homes to voice, data, e-mail and broadband services. Our solution helps to provide point-to-point transmissions at 155 megabits per second, enabling rapid deployment of high-data-rate wireless access and infrastructure networks with the performance of fiber but at a fraction of the cost."

Intersil will apply the same business model to its broadband wireless access offering that made the company’s high-volume PRISM^® Wireless ramp-up successful — providing customers semiconductors, reference designs and software that reduce time-to-market.

"Equipment manufacturers can leverage our modem solution across multiple product platforms to reduce design-in costs and time to market," said Ken Schultz, Intersil’s Vice President of Broadband Wireless Access products. "As the build out of broadband access Internet and 3G cellular infrastructures occurs in the coming years, we feel that our broadband wireless modem design gives customers the right solution at the right time to capitalize on an exploding market."

Intersil’s digital modem solution includes the company’s 7060 chip set and 37030 reference design, allowing equipment manufacturers to cost-effectively increase the data capacity of fixed broadband wireless networking equipment. The reference design supports a wide range of standard data rates. Applications for the 7060 chip set and Intersil’s 37030 reference design include digital microwave radios for interconnection of 3G cellular basestations, high capacity Internet infrastructure, point-to-consecutive-point wireless ring networks, and connection of cellular infrastructures to fiber and the public switched telephone network (PSTN).

The 7060 chip set is comprised of the 7060 modulator chip and the 7060 demodulator chip. The modulator chip accepts input data bytes, performs encoding, constructs the waveform, applies pulse shaping and generates digital baseband data outputs. The demodulator chip receives digital baseband data inputs, performs signal conditioning, symbol timing, carrier tracking, adaptive equalization and decoding to produce data byte and clock outputs.

Intersil BWA Solutions
Intersil acquired Scottsdale, Arizona-based SiCOM in October 2000, and today offers broadband modem silicon solutions, reference designs and software to equipment manufacturers serving fixed wireless infrastructure and access markets.

About Intersil
Irvine, California-based Intersil is a leading supplier of semiconductors, reference designs and software for wireless access and communications markets. Intersil applies analog, mixed-signal and radio frequency (RF) expertise to products that enable wireless access to broadband media; provide reliable power management for PCs, files servers and portable information appliances; and convert analog and digital signals in cellular and Internet infrastructure. For more information about Intersil, visit the company's Internet homepage at www.intersil.com.

This press release contains statements relating to certain projections and business trends concerning the broadband wireless access market that are forward looking statements as defined in the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Such forward-looking statements are based upon management’s current expectations, estimates, beliefs, assumptions, and projections about our business and industry. Words such as "anticipates," "expects," "intends," "plans," "believes, " "seeks," "estimates," "may," "will" 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 forward-looking statements are not guarantees of future performance and are subject to certain risks, uncertainties and assumptions that are difficult to predict. Therefore, our actual results could differ materially and adversely from those expressed in any forward-looking statements as a result of various risk factors. Important risk factors that may cause such material differences for Intersil Holding Corporation ("Intersil") in connection with the broadband wireless access market include, but are not limited to, the rate at and extent to which the build-out of broadband Internet access and 3G cellular infrastructures occur; the rate at which our present and future customers and end-users adopt Intersil’s BWA technologies and products; the timing, rescheduling or cancellation of significant customer orders; the loss of a key customer; the qualification, availability and pricing of competing products and technologies and the resulting effects on sales and pricing of our products; silicon wafer pricing and the availability of foundry and assembly capacity and raw materials; intellectual property disputes; as well as other risk factors detailed from time to time in Intersil’s filings with the U.S. Securities & Exchange Commission ("SEC") which you may obtain for free at the SEC’s website www.sec.gov. These forward-looking statements are made only as of the date of this press release and Intersil undertakes no obligation to update or revise these forward-looking statements.

SiCOM and PRISM are registered trademarks of Intersil Corporation.

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