New Platform for Next-Generation Wireless IP Phones Debuts

• Posted: Tuesday, July 18, 2006
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• Author: pradhana
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• Filed under: Miscellaneous

Atheros Communications Inc. today introduced an integrated, highly optimized, wireless Internet Protocol (IP) platform. Dubbed AR6101, the new platform from Atheros' Radio-on-Chip for Mobile (ROCm) family of embedded solutions implements the most cost-effective and compact Wi-Fi phones on the market. From the silicon solution to the application software, Atheros is enabling a complete VoIP handset design that delivers a truly mobile IP experience.

The Atheros AR6101G for 802.11g and the AR6101X for 802.11a/g single-chip solutions are the first designs offered in this family. As it did with the PAS/PHS design in the Atheros AR1900, the company is again integrating multiple complex functions onto a single chip: computing, DSP, memory, power management, keypad, audio and display interfaces, in addition to mixed-signal and RF.

Additionally, this new ROCm wireless IP platform offers a complete solution, including the user interface, in an energy- and memory-efficient package. The AR6101 total component count is reduced by approximately 50 percent versus competitive designs, dramatically lowering the total bill-of-materials.

Atheros' wireless IP platform initially offers a streamlined voice capability. With this first implementation, consumers will be empowered to make free or low-cost calls using any available WLAN. The scalable AR6101 platform supports Session Initiation Protocol (SIP) and Extensible Messaging and Presence Protocol (XMPP) for Internet conferencing, telephony, presence and events notification, and instant messaging. XMPP is an open-source, XML- based protocol that has become the industry standard for leading instant messaging platforms and presence technology used by millions of people worldwide.

Across the ROCm product line, Atheros brings ultra-efficient chip and software implementation to the broadband wireless IP connection, enabling customer designs to deliver the full richness of the Internet in a highly attractive form factor. These designs will result in new Wi-Fi-enabled phones that allow users to un-tether from their office networks or home broadband connections, and use the phones on any open WLAN. Fulfilling the IP promise, each handset is an actual node on the Internet with its own unique Web address.

Craig Barratt, president and chief executive officer of Atheros, said:

"Wireless Internet Protocol has become ubiquitous through the rapid growth of wireless networking infrastructure that goes well beyond the home into metro Wi-Fi, enterprise, campus, and hotspot deployments worldwide. With Atheros' new ROCm wireless IP platform, we're bringing rich, IP-based applications including voice and messaging that are now accessed from the desktop into the palm of your hand."

The Atheros AR6101 features a low-power RISC (MIPS) CPU core, full 802.11a/b/g functionality, and the integration of all major handset functions. Atheros also delivers a full suite of handset software applications and a complete application development environment. In addition, the AR6101 supports advanced features such as Quality of Service (802.11e and WMM), energy savings (WMM-APSD), and ease-of-use (with the forthcoming Wi-Fi Alliance configuration standard). [Wireless IQ]

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