US : TelASIC Communications Inc., a leading developer of high-performance analog and mixed-signal integrated circuits (ICs) and sub-systems for the 3G wireless infrastructure market, announced the closing of a $26 million Series D round of financing.

ComVentures, a leading venture capital firm focused on communications technologies, led the round. Existing investors Mission Ventures, The IPO Group, Agilent Technologies, and Redpoint Ventures participated as well.

Jim McLean, a partner with ComVentures, said, "ComVentures believes wireless base station technology is undergoing significant change as operators seek to reduce capital and operating expenses, reduce dropped calls, and add high-speed data services. By solving some of the most difficult mixed-signal design challenges, TelASIC has become a key enabler of next-generation wireless networks. We believe this funding, coupled with the strong customer traction the company has achieved, will allow TelASIC to successfully commercialize its leading technology and position itself for long-term success."

The global demand for wireless communications services continues to explode. As a result, cellular operators have begun to deploy third generation, or 3G, technologies to meet more demanding market requirements. Intended to expand network capacity, further improve quality of service, and facilitate the rollout of bandwidth-intensive wireless data and video services, 3G equipment upgrades require the development of novel system architectures and incorporate advanced technologies.

TelASIC's innovative, highly-integrated solutions will reduce capital and operating expenses while enabling higher service quality, more reliable connections, and faster data rates in 3G networks. By leveraging its unique analog-to-digital and digital-to-analog converters and proprietary digital pre-distortion (DPD) linearization technology, and by providing a complete RF-to-baseband solution, TelASIC offers the world's most power efficient and cost-effective solution for next generation wireless infrastructure equipment. TelASIC's technology accommodates a wide range of wireless protocols, such as W-CDMA, CDMA2000, WiMAX, and WiBRO, on a single platform, and is already being incorporated into next-generation base station equipment deployments by several customers.

TelASIC will use the additional funds to support the Company's ramp into high volume production and bolster key organizational functions as it continues to grow.