Power Amplifiers To Enhance 3G Mobile Phones

Power Amplifiers To Enhance 3G Mobile Phones

SiGe Semiconductor announced that it has signed an agreement with IBM under which SiGe Semiconductor will be granted assignments and licenses to intellectual property associated with IBM power amplifier products.

Inset is a product shot of SiGe's RangeCharger Power Amplifier.

The complete portfolio includes seven devices in various stages of design, which SiGe Semiconductor expects will enhance performance of 2G, 2.5G and 3G cellular handsets.

Under a separate agreement with IBM, SiGe Semiconductor is acquiring
certain design and test equipment, to be housed at the company's new
facilities in the Boston, Massachusetts area. This, combined with a foundry
agreement with IBM, under which IBM will manufacture these power amplifier
devices for SiGe Semiconductor, will help enable the company to quickly bring
these new products to market.

The first three power amplifiers for 2G and 2.5G cellular handsets are
sampling to lead customers now, sold under SiGe Semiconductor's RangeCharger
brand. The roadmap includes GPRS and EDGE capable quad-band GSM power
amplifiers for 2.5G mobile handsets, as well as 4x4 matched CDMA power
amplifier modules for 2.5G and 3G mobile handsets.

"This agreement presents an ideal opportunity to expand our product line
and enter new markets where our core expertise in silicon germanium will
provide significant advantages to our customers," said Jim Derbyshire,
president and CEO, SiGe Semiconductor. "With the broadest selection of silicon
germanium power amplifiers on the market, we expect to quickly capture market
share, and secure our place among lead competitors."

Silicon germanium power amps present major advantages to cellular market
------------------------------------------------------------------------
SiGe Semiconductor's first products to sample include the SE5100 and
SE5101 for CDMA/AMPS handsets operating in the 824 to 849MHz frequency band;
and the SE5111 for CDMA/PCS handsets operating in the 1850 to 1910MHz band.
The new power amplifiers are based on a highly efficient silicon
germanium BiCMOS process that improves power efficiency, linearity and
integration. Using this process, the SE5100, SE5101 and SE5111 include bias
circuits that enable operation over broad dynamic range and guarantee
ruggedness under high voltage standing wave ratio (VSWR) conditions. This is a
substantial advantage over gallium arsenide (GaAs) alternatives, which may
require more expensive power amplifier ICs and CMOS control ICs to achieve the
same levels of control and performance.
All three power amplifiers are available now. Supplied in a 4x4mm QFN,
the SE5100 is priced at US $0.75 in 10k unit quantities. The SE5101 and SE5111
are each supplied in a 6x6 mm low-profile matched module, priced at US $1.80
in 10k unit quantities. The devices will be featured at booth No. G16 in the
UK Pavilion at the 3GSM conference, February 17-21, 2003.

Silicon germanium ICs expected to gain higher profile in cellular market
------------------------------------------------------------------------
The total market for cellular power amplifiers used in 2G, 2.5G and 3G
phones is expected to represent a US $1.4 billion opportunity by 2005
(InStat/MDR). SiGe Semiconductor believes that silicon germanium based power
amplifiers will displace GaAs alternatives, as consumer pressures continue to
drive handset prices down. Since silicon germanium is based on conventional
high-volume VLSI processes, devices can be produced at higher yields and at a
fraction of the price of GaAs ICs.

TODAY'S PRESS RELEASES

New World Mobility, one of Hong Kong's leading mobile telecommunications service providers, has launched HomeCare Mobile Viewing Service, a pioneering mobilemedia service powered by PacketVideo's pv3 Mobilemedia System.

The radio system and packaging breakthrough saves handset designers significant space, cost and design-cycle time while providing a roadmap for quad-band and 3G handsets in the future.

odafone Sweden is now offering the Nokia 7650 camera telephone as part of Vodafone live!, the concept that has met with considerable success by
offering mobile communication that is both simpler and more fun.

PA Consulting Group will be demonstrating its all-software baseband solution for wideband CDMA base stations at the 3GSM World Congress in Cannes.

UbiNetics marks first anniversary with plans for further Indian expansion. Just one year after opening, UbiNetics' Bangalore operation has emerged as a major R&D centre for the global 3G technology firm.

Omron will launch a new service business enabling users to conveniently create print seals from images taken by camera equipped mobile phones. The new print machines will be set up in major cities from as a trial service.

The Industry Coalition of TD-SCDMA of China is about to absorb new members from home and abroad after the Chinese Spring Festival.

StarHub stands by its announcement that it is our belief that Singapore would benefit most by allowing mobile operators here to make their own decisions about when and how to implement 3G services.

Royal Philips Electronics and Samsung Electronics Co. (Q.SSE) of South Korea said they had formed a joint venture with a Beijing-based company to support China's homegrown third-generation, or 3G, mobile technology.

The network enhancements will support increases in the volume of voice, video, and data traffic and significantly reduce operational costs as Orange rolls out its third-generation (3G) service offerings.

Pornography is likely to be among the main uses that will drive demand in the early days of ultra-fast mobile phones, the chief executive of porn empire Private Media Group said Monday.

Lucent Technologies and T-Mobile launched a joint pilot project to evaluate secure high-speed data services using third-generation (3G) Universal Mobile Telecommunications System (UMTS) technology.

Teleca announced that it has been selected by 3 to install, integrate and customise parts of its Operations Support Systems in Sweden.

Cramer Systems today announced that 3, the European 3G leader backed by Hutchison, will use Cramer's award-winning network inventory solution for 3's Swedish network.

handy games, one of the leading german software developers, is now supplying the austrian mobile entertainment market with games as well. customers of sms.at and mobilkom.at can access an extensive portfolio of exciting mobile phone games.

KTF reported that they would need to review a plan to launch its 3G WCDMA network which is currently scheduled for full scale launch in June this year. It has been indicated that may be delayed.

Telekom Malaysia's cellular network operator, TM Cellular Sdn Bhd, which provides the TMTOUCH service, is awaiting decision from the Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission (MCMC) on the third generation (3G) spectrum.

Hutchison Whampoa Ltd's H3G third generation mobile unit intends to distribute 30,000 terminals to shops from mid-February for the launch of services, said an H3G spokesman.

NTT DoCoMo announced that the N2051 3G handset, which offers extended stand-by time and the ability to e-mail video clips, will go on sale January 23, 2003.

Sonera and the Finnish ice hockey league (SM-liiga) have jointly created a mobile service by which hockey fans receive real-time information on their mobile phones about the events and scores from all SM-liiga rinks. The service is available immediately.

SR Telecom acquisition that positions it to capitalize on identified opportunities for fixed applications in its core customer base. The product does not require additional development prior to its first commercial sale and SR Telecom intends to commercialize the product through its existing global sales network.

The new company, to be established in January through KDDI's 100%owned subsidiary, KDDI Hong Kong, will be called KDDI Guangzhou Corporation (KDDI Guangzhou).

LG introduced its cutting-edge IMT-2000 color mobile phone ‘HX2’, featured with powerful built-in digital camera function to Korean Market. HX2 embedded 300,000 pixel (VGA grade) camera to support serial photographing and video filming.