BusinessWire
March 08, 2006 05:00 AM US Pacific Timezone

Conexant and Sharp Launch World's Smallest and Lowest Power Wi-Fi Module; Collaborative Product Development Aimed at Growing Embedded WLAN Market Segment

NEWPORT BEACH, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--March 8, 2006--Conexant Systems, Inc. (NASDAQ:CNXT), a worldwide leader in semiconductor solutions for broadband communications and the digital home, and Sharp Corporation, one of the world's largest consumer electronics companies, today announced the availability of the world's smallest and lowest standby power wireless local area network (WLAN) module. The jointly developed Wi-Fi module is fully compliant with the IEEE 802.11b/g standard, and is targeted at products for embedded mobile applications including cellular/WLAN handsets. The two companies leveraged Conexant's power-efficient CX3110X integrated circuit and Sharp's advanced micro packaging technology to develop the compact module. The module will be distributed by both Conexant and Sharp.

"Sharp is a powerhouse in the consumer electronics industry, and we're pleased to team with them on a project that will help propel Wi-Fi technology into a broader range of consumer devices," said Chee Kwan, vice president and general manager of Wireless Networking for Conexant. "Low power and small form factor are critical parameters for embedded mobile applications. Sharp's innovative packaging technology and our proficiency in WLAN technology allowed us to solve these challenges, and deliver a high-performance solution that will allow product developers to quickly integrate Wi-Fi into new and existing products. In addition, we can leverage this leading-edge, low-power product to span all industry standards including 802.11n."

"Conexant is a valued partner, with a well-established track record in wireless networking semiconductor innovation," said Miyoshi Yamauchi, group general manager of Electronic Components Group for Sharp. "Developing products that use unique and innovative technology to benefit people throughout the world is at the heart of our business philosophy. Conexant's products and technology help us achieve this objective, and it was a pleasure working with them on this new solution."

Sharp and Conexant have a long-standing strategic relationship. Previous product engagements include Sharp's development of the industry's first wireless video adaptor, which is also based on Conexant's WLAN technology. The adaptor allows users to send video from sources such as PCs and video camcorders to a wireless LCD television.

According to industry analyst firm InStat, shipments of Wi-Fi-enabled consumer devices including cellular handsets, PDAs, games and other handheld products is expected to exceed 180 million units in 2009.

The co-developed, small footprint WLAN module is less than 100 square millimeters (mm), and leverages Conexant's intelligent PowerSave technology to deliver more than 600 minutes of talk time and 300 hours of standby mode. Software features include an embedded thin driver that enables easy integration into a host system.

Conexant's CX3110X is a standards-compliant, fully integrated wireless radio. The company also offers an extensive suite of WLAN solutions including IEEE 802.11 and dual-band (2.4 and 5 GHz) chipsets, firmware, software, drivers and reference designs. The company's PRISM GT(TM) semiconductor solution supports data transmission rates up to 54 Mbps. It is Wi-Fi-certified and fully compliant to IEEE 802.11b and IEEE 802.11g standards. The chipset's cost and performance advantages make it well-suited for high-bandwidth consumer applications such as wireless video transfers, advanced home networking applications and multi-channel CD-quality audio and DVD-quality video streaming.

About Conexant

Conexant's innovative semiconductor solutions are driving broadband communications and digital home networks worldwide. The company has leveraged its expertise and leadership position in modem technologies to enable more Internet connections than all of its competitors combined, and continues to develop highly integrated silicon solutions for broadband data and media processing networks.

Key products include client-side xDSL and cable modem solutions, home network processors, broadcast video encoders and decoders, digital set-top box components and systems solutions, and dial-up modems. Conexant's suite of networking components includes a leadership portfolio of IEEE 802.11a/b/g-compliant WLAN chipsets, software and reference designs, as well as solutions for applications based on HomePlug(R) and HomePNA(TM). The company also offers a complete line of asymmetric and symmetric DSL central office solutions, which are used by service providers worldwide to deliver broadband data, voice, and video over copper telephone lines.

Conexant is a fabless semiconductor company with an annual revenue run-rate in excess of $900 million. The company has approximately 2,500 employees worldwide, and is headquartered in Newport Beach, Calif. To learn more, please visit www.conexant.com.

About Sharp

Sharp Corporation is a worldwide developer of innovative products and core technologies that play a key role in shaping the future of electronics. As a leader in liquid crystal displays (LCDs) and digital technologies, Sharp offers one of the broadest and most advanced lines of consumer electronics, information products and electronic components, while also creating new network businesses.

Sharp Corporation employs about 55,000 people in the world (as of January 31, 2006) and recorded consolidated annual sales of 2,539,859 million yen for the fiscal year ended March 31, 2005. For more information, please visit Sharp's Web site at http://sharp-world.com/index.html.

Conexant Safe Harbor

"Safe Harbor" Statement under the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995: This release includes forward-looking statements intended to qualify for the safe harbor from liability established by the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. These forward-looking statements generally can be identified by phrases such as Conexant or its management "believes," "expects," "anticipates," "foresees," "forecasts," "estimates" or other words or phrases of similar import. Similarly, statements in this release that describe our business strategy, outlook, objectives, plans, intentions or goals also are forward-looking statements. All such forward-looking statements are subject to certain risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from those in forward-looking statements.

These risks and uncertainties include, but are not limited to: the uncertainties of litigation, including claims of infringement of third-party intellectual property rights or demands that we license third-party technology and the demands it may place on the time and attention of our management and the expense it may place on the company; the risk that capital needed for our business and to repay our convertible notes will not be available when needed; the risk that the value of our common stock may be adversely affected by market volatility; general economic and political conditions and conditions in the markets we address; the substantial losses we have incurred; the cyclical nature of the semiconductor industry and the markets addressed by our products and our customers' products; continuing volatility in the technology sector and the semiconductor industry; demand for and market acceptance of our new and existing products; our successful development of new products; the timing of our new product introductions and our product quality; our ability to anticipate trends and develop products for which there will be market demand; the availability of manufacturing capacity; pricing pressures and other competitive factors; changes in our product mix; product obsolescence; the ability of our customers to manage inventory; our ability to develop and implement new technologies and to obtain protection for the related intellectual property; and possible disruptions in commerce related to terrorist activity or armed conflict, as well as other risks and uncertainties, including those detailed from time to time in our Securities and Exchange Commission filings.

The forward-looking statements are made only as of the date hereof. We undertake no obligation to update or revise the forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise.

Conexant is a registered trademark of Conexant Systems, Inc. Other brands and names contained in this release are the property of their respective owners