Wireless Innovator Atheros Communications Announces `Premier Partners' Program

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Wireless Developer Network - Daily News

Wireless Innovator Atheros Communications Announces `Premier Partners' Program

SUNNYVALE, Calif., April 30, 2001--A new Premier Partners program from Atheros Communications allows key industry leaders to join with Atheros to develop, build and market the next generation of wireless local area network (LAN) systems. These systems, based on the IEEE 802.11a standard and using the company's unique "Radio-on-a-Chip" (RoC) networking technology, will deliver the highest-speed, most cost-effective, most power-efficient wireless LAN products in the industry.

Charter companies of the Premier Partners program, including Card Access, Intermec, Proxim and TDK, have early access to Atheros technology to develop, build and market their own unique wireless solutions. These leading systems, networking and consumer electronics companies -- some of the best innovators and thought leaders in wireless networking -- are working directly with Atheros to develop the technologies of the wireless future. Moving forward, Atheros will continue to add key partners to the program.

"Our Premier Partners program provides an environment where creativity and innovation can flourish, giving these forward-looking companies a unique opportunity to influence this new emerging market," said Rich Redelfs, president and CEO of Atheros. "These companies are united in their belief that 802.11a is the answer to both today's market demands and tomorrow's even more challenging requirements."

Atheros and its partners are dedicated to making possible transparent connectivity between all computing, communications, video and audio devices in the office, in the home, and in public places such as airports and hotels. To achieve this goal, Atheros developed its fast, highly integrated, low-cost AR5000 chipset, which represents a significant breakthrough over slower, more complex existing products. The Atheros AR5000 chipset is the world's first two-chip, all-CMOS, end-to-end solution for IEEE 802.11a, 5GHz wireless LANs. The AR5000 chipset supports the IEEE 802.11a maximum data rate of 54Mbps, and can also provide speeds up to 72Mbps in Atheros' turbo mode. Volume shipment of the Atheros AR5000 chipset is on target for this summer.

"The appetite for access and distribution of information and entertainment content continues to grow at amazing speeds. Implementing the latest wireless technologies from Atheros into our next generation of communications products will help redefine how people connect, communicate and enjoy their entertainment," said Kent Hansen, vice president of Business Development, Card Access Inc.

"With early access to Atheros' 802.11a, 5GHz wireless technologies, Intermec will be able to address the growing enterprise-wide wireless networking demands of our Fortune 1000 customers in industrial, logistics and retail markets, and also provide a wireless-only solution for small office/home office environments," said Greg Smith, vice president and general manager, Wireless Products Group, Intermec Technologies Corp.

"Proxim is pleased to partner with Atheros to deliver reliable, higher-speed wireless networking to the enterprise," said Kurt Bauer, vice president and general manager, Proxim, Inc. "Proxim is committed to protecting enterprises' investment in wireless networking. With Proxim's multi-standard Harmony solution, enterprises can deploy wireless today and seamlessly migrate to 802.11a tomorrow."

"Just as TDK took the lead in developing Ethernet NICs based on the CardBus standard, which enabled higher data rates at lower power than traditional PC Cards, TDK 5GHz wireless solutions based on the IEEE 802.11a standard and Atheros Communications technology will set a new, higher standard for client wireless connectivity," said Haruki Tsunekawa, general manager, TDK Systems Division.

On April 23, 2001, Atheros announced the close of its third round of financing in the amount of $66.7 million, with Fidelity Management & Research Company as the lead investor. Atheros Communications was founded in May 1998 by leading experts in radio and signal processing from Stanford University, the University of California at Berkeley, and private industry. The company's mission is to provide wireless networking technologies that drive transparent connections between all computing, communications, audio and video devices. Funded by August Capital, Fidelity Management & Research Company, Foundation Capital, New Enterprise Associates and others, Atheros has raised a total of $98.3 million in three rounds of funding. The Company currently employs over 120 people and has filed more than 40 wireless technology patents. For more information, visit www.atheros.com, call 408/773-5200, or send email to info@atheros.com.

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