Broadcom Debuts XBERT Platform

IRVINE, Calif. -- Broadcom Corporation (Nasdaq: BRCM), the leading provider of integrated circuits enabling broadband communications, today announced a new platform that enables the interoperability testing of 10-Gigabit Ethernet (GbE) Xenpak modules. Broadcom's XBERT (Xenpak Bit Error Rate Testing) development platform is a fully operational board that incorporates two independent physical layer data channels to provide complete channel-to-channel testing of Xenpak-compliant fiber-optic transceiver modules. These Xenpak modules provide the complete physical layer optical-to-electrical 10 Gigabit per second (Gbps) front-end in Local Area Network (LAN) and Metropolitan Area Network (MAN) equipment. A development platform specifically designed for Xenpak modules offers significant time-to-market savings for system designers. Broadcom worked closely with key optical-fiber module partners in he development of the XBERT platform and recently demonstrated its operation at the Optical Fiber Conference in Anaheim, Calif. "A key issue facing system designers using Xenpak modules is the seamless interoperability between both the modules and their supporting electrical components used in LAN and MAN equipment, such as switches and routers," said Marty Colombatto, Vice President and General Manager of Broadcom's Networking Business Unit. "By providing a method to test the interoperability between Xenpak modules from different manufacturers, Broadcom is aiding and speeding deployment of these next-generation modules. That, in turn, allows faster time to market of new leading-edge switch, router, server and terminal products using Xenpak modules from a variety of vendors." Broadcom Corp.