News & Events
Intersil’s PRISM 2.5 WLAN Chip Set Provides Wireless Link for Actiontec’s Mini PCI 802.11b/Modem Combo Card

— PRISM 2.5 small form factor enables embedded wireless technology for portable networking

IRVINE, Calif., July 20, 2001 – Intersil (NASDAQ: ISIL), a leading provider of silicon technology for wireless access and communications analog markets, today announced that Intersil’s small form factor PRISM® 2.5 wireless LAN (WLAN) chip set has been chosen by Actiontec Electronics, Inc., a leading manufacturer of broadband application and Internet access products, for their new Mini PCI 802.11b/Modem Combo Card. This compact card provides the most highly integrated solution yet for high data rate embedded wireless networking connectivity in PCs, laptops and handheld information appliances.

"Intersil’s PRISM 2.5 wireless networking chip set/reference design is optimized for smaller form factors and embedded WLAN applications such as mini-PCI/USB cards and single-sided PCMCIA cards," said Larry Ciaccia, vice president and general manager of Intersil’s Wireless Networking Business. "The significant board space reduction achieved by the PRISM 2.5 chip set enabled Actiontec to incorporate dual-mode networking capabilities — 802.11b and V.90 modem — on the same embedded mini-PCI card. It means that no expensive daughter cards are needed and slots remain free for other uses."

Using the card, OEMs can cost-effectively integrate a complete wireless LAN into their mobile systems without sacrificing conventional dial-up access. The Mini PCI 802.11b/Modem Combo Card maximizes convenience, durability, and manufacturing flexibility, while eliminating the need for users to sacrifice a valuable PC card slot to stay connected to their wireless corporate LAN or to the Internet.

"Wireless networking is arguably the hottest trend in mobile computing today. Actiontec is effectively addressing this trend while sustaining the dial-up connectivity needs of OEMs by delivering the first-ever solution to combine 802.11 wireless networking and V.90 modem technology into one mini-PCI card," stated Ramzi Al-Harayeri, vice president of OEM sales for Actiontec Electronics. "The response to the new Mini PCI Wireless Combo Card by the top-tier notebook computer manufacturers has been overwhelming."

The 802MIP Mini PCI 802.11b/Modem Combo Card is available for immediate shipment to OEMs. The entire laptop solution including the Mini PCI Combo card has passed the WECA Wi-Fi™ test to ensure complete interoperability with other 802.11b-certified products.

About PRISM 2.5 WLAN Reference Design
This PRISM 2.5® Reference Design provides all of the technical information necessary for the manufacture of a complete WLAN adaptor in a small form factor that measures approximately 2-1/3 x 1-1/2 inches. Such cards are ideal for embedded WLAN applications. In addition, many companies are adopting mini-PCI and USB interfaces for embedded cards. The PRISM 2.5® chip set’s ISL3873 combined Base Band Processor and Medium Access Controller (BBP/MAC) allows original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) to easily develop wireless LAN-capable products that connect to the host device using a mini-PCI or USB connection. This solution delivers full 11 megabit-per-second (Mbps) data rates and fully complies with the IEEE 802.11b standard, making it eligible for Wi-Fi™ certification.

About PRISM Technology
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. PRISM/work™ and PRISM/home™ products are used in WLAN systems from industry-leading companies including Alcatel, Cisco, Compaq, 3Com, Dell, D-Link, Linksys, Nokia, Nortel, Samsung, Scientific-Atlanta, Siemens, SOHOware, Sony, SpectraLink, Symbol, and Zoom.

About Actiontec Electronics Inc.
Initially known for its analog modems, Actiontec Electronics, Inc. is making significant strides in the broadband marketplace. The company’s product line now includes a complete line of DSL, Router, Wireless LAN, Internet Telephony, and Analog devices. Actiontec products have been recognized with a Best of Show award at Retail Xchange, Editors Choice awards from CNET’s computers.com, homePCnetwork.com, and Computer Retail Week, and Top 100 Products of the Year from Home Office Computing and 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; and Taiwan. For more information, phone 408-752-7700, fax 408-541-9003, or visit .

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

This press release contains information that constitutes 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. 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 Intersil Corporation’s ("Intersil’s") WLAN products include, but are not limited to: the rate at which consumers adopt small handheld Internet appliances and portable computing devices; the rate at which our present and future customers and end-users adopt Intersil’s wireless technologies and products, including our embedded LAN applications, in enterprises, the home, and small offices; the timing, rescheduling or cancellation of significant customer orders; 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, which you may obtain for free at the SEC’s Web site at 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.

# # # #

PRISM and PRISM 2.5 are registered trademarks of Intersil Americas Inc.
PRISM/work and PRISM/home are trademarks of Intersil Americas Inc.
Wi-Fi is a trademark of the Wireless Ethernet Compatibility Alliance.
Actiontec and the Actiontec logo are trademarks of Actiontec Electronics, Inc.
All other product names and trademarks are the property of their respective holders.