News & Events
Intersil’s PRISM 2.5 Chip Set Drives New Actiontec Wireless LAN Products
-- Trio of PRISM-based adapters deliver Wi-Fi connectivity to any PC
-- New Actiontec USB adaptor is one of the smallest on the market
IRVINE, CA, January 10, 2002 – Intersil Corporation (NASDAQ: ISIL), the world’s leading provider of silicon technology for Wireless Local Area Networks (WLANs), today announced that Actiontec Electronics, Inc. a leading manufacturer of broadband-based application and Internet access products, has integrated Intersil’s PRISM® 2.5 chip set into three new wireless LAN adapters. These WLAN products augment the PRISM 2.5 mini-PCI solutions that Actiontec™ has already deployed in notebook PCs manufactured by industry leaders.
The Actiontec adapters will work with any desktop or notebook computer that has a USB port, a vacant PCI slot or a PCMCIA port, allowing users to share Internet access, printers and files at up to 11 megabits-per-second (Mbps) and at distances ranging from 100 feet indoors to 300 feet outdoors.
The Actiontec USB Wi-Fi Wireless Adapter allows effortless and easy connection to any desktop or notebook computer with an available USB port into a wireless network. The adapter virtually installs itself in any Microsoft Windows environment using the plug-and-play protocol. Actiontec’s PCI Wireless Adapter is the first solution to incorporate the functions of both a wireless PCI adapter and a PC card into one product. Thus, the need for a separate PC Card has been eliminated, and both the USB and PCI Wireless Adapters are Wi-Fi certified.
“The PRISM 2.5 chip set and reference design are optimized to enable very compact, external USB-based WLAN applications,” said Larry Ciaccia, vice president and general manager for Intersil’s Wireless Networking Business. “The continuing evolution of the Wi-Fi market will encourage the need for highly optimized solutions for specific applications and segments of the WLAN space.”
Designed for a notebook PC, the Actiontec PC card plugs into the notebook’s PCMCIA slot. When used in conjunction with a wireless access point, the PC card delivers easy and dependable wireless connectivity. The PC Card is Wi-Fi certified, ensuring compatibility with over 200 Wi-Fi certified devices from other vendors. It offers multiple layers of security, including spread spectrum signaling and encryption.
Intersil’s PRISM 2.5 wireless networking chip set is optimized for smaller form factors and embedded WLAN applications such as mini-PCI, USB or Compact Flash that are much smaller and are typically installed directly into systems during product assembly. PRISM 2.5 delivers wireless Ethernet networking with compliance to the Wi-Fi (IEEE’s 802.11b) global standard.
"PRISM’s high data rate and reliable performance in all types of networking environments allows Actiontec to develop wireless networking solutions that are optimized for high-data-rate performance in compliance to the IEEE’s 802.11b global standard,” said Ramzi Al-Harayeri, general manager of the wireless division for Actiontec Electronics. "Wi-Fi certification ensures our customers that our new PCMCIA card will provide complete interoperability with any other Wi-Fi certified AP or wireless LAN cards.”
Optimized for high data rate (11 Mbps) performance, PRISM-based systems are feature-rich and provide fast, reliable performance in all types of networking environments. Advanced design and process technologies reduce power consumption, design complexity and total system cost. PRISM 2.5-based products will provide users with wireless access to networks and the Internet for fast and efficient transmission of data, video and Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) services.
The Global Wireless Market Embraces PRISM WLAN Technology
“Intersil is the number one manufacturer of wireless LAN chipsets and has been a driving force behind the success of WLANs,” said a May 2001 WLAN report from Cahners In-Stat Group. Since introducing the PRISM WLAN chip set in 1996, industry-leading companies including Actiontec, Alcatel, ASUS, Casio, Cisco, Compaq, 3Com, Dell, D-Link, GemTek, Hewlett Packard, IBM, Intel, Legend, Linksys, Nokia, Nortel, Panasonic, Quanta, Samsung, Sharp, Siemens, SOHOware, Sony, SpectraLink, Symbol, Z-Com and Zoom have incorporated PRISM chip sets in Wi-Fi product designs. PRISM technology is designed to comply with the IEEE’s 802.11 global standard, and Intersil is a founding sponsor of the Wireless Ethernet Compatibility Alliance (WECA), whose Wi-Fi brand is a mark of compatibility for 802.11-based systems.
About Actiontec Electronics Inc.
Actiontec Electronics, Inc. is a leading supplier of analog and broadband devices designed to facilitate or leverage Internet access. The company’s complete line of DSL, router, wireless LAN, Internet telephony, and analog products includes the industry’s first call waiting modems, home DSL modems and wireless home gateways. Actiontec products have been recognized with a Best of Show award at Retail Xchange, Editors Choice awards from CNET’s computers.com and homePCnetwork.com, and Top 100 Products of the Year from Computer Shopper. Actiontec products are available through national distribution, retail outlets, and Actiontec's online store as well as through private label and Tier 1 OEM relationships. The company is headquartered in Sunnyvale, CA, and maintains branch offices in Arlington, VA; Austin, TX; Colorado Springs, CO; Irvine, CA; Reading, United Kingdom; China and Taiwan. For more information, phone 408-752-7700, fax 408-541-9003, or visit http://www.actiontec.com.
About Intersil
Intersil is a global leader in designing innovative wireless networking and high performance analog solutions that enable wireless access to video, data and voice in homes, offices and public places. Creating advanced power management products, Intersil provides reliable solutions for file servers, portable information appliances and over half of all computer microprocessors manufactured today. With a rich high performance analog and mixed signal portfolio, Intersil brings added value in providing complete silicon, software and reference design solutions to new products that bring portable connectivity to people wherever they live, work or travel. Headquartered in Irvine, California, Intersil has offices in cities throughout the US, Europe and Asia. For more information about Intersil or to find out how to become a member of our winning team, visit the company's Web site and career page at www.intersil.com.
This press release contains information relating to certain projections and business trends concerning the WLAN market that are forward-looking statements as defined in Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933 and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934. 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. Furthermore, any forward-looking statements and projections made by others in this press release are not adopted by Intersil Corporation (“Intersil”) and Intersil is not responsible for the forward-looking statements and projections of others. 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 in connection with WLAN market include, but are not limited to: the rate at which consumers adopt small handheld Internet appliances and portable computing devices in enterprises and in homes; the rate at which our present and future customers and end-users adopt Intersil’s wireless technologies and products, including our embedded LAN applications; 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 and quality of foundry and assembly capacity and raw materials; the effectiveness of Intersil’s expense and product cost control and reduction efforts; intellectual property disputes, customer indemnification claims, and other litigation risks; Intersil’s ability to develop, market, and transition to volume production new products and technologies in a timely manner; as well as other risk factors. Intersil’s Annual Report on Form 10-K, most recent Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q, and other Intersil filings with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”) (which you may obtain for free at the SEC’s Web site at www.sec.gov) discuss some of the important risk factors that may affect our business, results of operations, and financial condition. 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.
PRISM is a registered trademark of Intersil Americas Inc.
Actiontec is a trademark of Actiontec Electronics, Inc.
All other trademarks mentioned are the property of their respective owners.
Intersil is a global leader in designing innovative wireless networking and high performance analog solutions that enable wireless access to video, data and voice in homes, offices and public places. Creating advanced power management products, Intersil provides reliable solutions for file servers, portable information appliances and over half of all computer microprocessors manufactured today. With a rich high performance analog and mixed signal portfolio, Intersil brings added value in providing complete silicon, software and reference design solutions to new products that bring portable connectivity to people wherever they live, work or travel. Headquartered in Irvine, California, Intersil has offices in cities throughout the US, Europe and Asia. For more information about Intersil or to find out how to become a member of our winning team, visit the company's Web site and career page at www.intersil.com.
This press release contains information relating to certain projections and business trends concerning the WLAN market that are forward-looking statements as defined in Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933 and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934. 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. Furthermore, any forward-looking statements and projections made by others in this press release are not adopted by Intersil Corporation (“Intersil”) and Intersil is not responsible for the forward-looking statements and projections of others. 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 in connection with WLAN market include, but are not limited to: the rate at which consumers adopt small handheld Internet appliances and portable computing devices in enterprises and in homes; the rate at which our present and future customers and end-users adopt Intersil’s wireless technologies and products, including our embedded LAN applications; 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 and quality of foundry and assembly capacity and raw materials; the effectiveness of Intersil’s expense and product cost control and reduction efforts; intellectual property disputes, customer indemnification claims, and other litigation risks; Intersil’s ability to develop, market, and transition to volume production new products and technologies in a timely manner; as well as other risk factors. Intersil’s Annual Report on Form 10-K, most recent Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q, and other Intersil filings with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”) (which you may obtain for free at the SEC’s Web site at www.sec.gov) discuss some of the important risk factors that may affect our business, results of operations, and financial condition. 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. PRISM is a registered trademark of Intersil Americas Inc.
Actiontec is a trademark of Actiontec Electronics, Inc.
All other trademarks mentioned are the property of their respective owners.
