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Atheros launched the AR8216 – the company's first Ethernet switch product and the industry's lowest-cost, 6-port 10/100 Fast Ethernet switch
April 30, 2007
SANTA CLARA, Calif. -- Atheros Communications, Inc. (NASDAQ:ATHR) , a leading developer of advanced wireless solutions, today launched the AR8216 -- the company's first Ethernet switch product and the industry's lowest-cost, 6-port 10/100 Fast Ethernet switch. The AR8216 supports a wide array of wired and wireless networking applications and also targets mainstream 802.11n and 802.11g wireless router and gateway platforms. With the launch of its own high-performance, low-cost Fast Ethernet switch solution, Atheros now provides networking customers with all of the major silicon required for complete wire-to-wireless router solutions. These single-source, end-to-end networking designs feature Atheros' market-leading wireless LAN (WLAN), the industry's only network processors designed expressly for Wi-Fi and the company's new Fast Ethernet switch.
Fast Ethernet
Ethernet technology -- the proven wired backbone for home and office networks -- has the largest installed base for delivering multimedia throughout the home and for connecting wireless access points and PCs. Fast Ethernet switches dominate the Ethernet segment, particularly in the mid-to- low-tier networking markets. While adoption of Gigabit Ethernet will expand in high-end, 802.11n-based solutions requiring the highest bandwidths for multimedia applications, Fast Ethernet readily serves mainstream networking applications in cost-sensitive 802.11n and 802.11g products.
According to Seamus Crehan, senior director of Ethernet Switch Research at Dell'Oro Group, "While we expect to see very strong growth in Gigabit Ethernet over the next few years, Fast Ethernet is still the majority segment in the market with nearly 165 million ports shipped in 2006."
In the near-term, mid-to-low tier networking products for 802.11n and 802.11g are expected to account for the greatest unit volume in the WLAN retail and gateway markets. Mid-priced 802.11n products will drive adoption of the newest WLAN technology, while demand for legacy 802.11g -- given its competitive pricing and broad market penetration -- will continue to serve the low-end Wi-Fi market.
"The AR8216 delivers on Atheros' commitment to provide complete, low-cost, high-performance wireless router and gateway solutions to ensure rapid acceptance of the new 802.11n technology," said Tony Hsu, director of product marketing for Atheros. "In addition to the AR8216, we will offer a complete portfolio of Ethernet switching solutions to satisfy not only this immediate, price-sensitive market, but also support the highest-performance 802.11n products requiring Gigabit Ethernet throughput."
The AR8216 Offers Leading Size, Performance and Features
The AR8216 provides the industry's most cost-effective and power-efficient Fast Ethernet connectivity for SOHO and SMB, wired and wireless networks. The AR8216 offers design flexibility with its 6-port configuration consisting of five 10/100 Ethernet PHY ports, one MII port for CPU connectivity and six independent Media Access Controllers (MACs).
Atheros Communications Inc. (Nasdaq: ATHR)
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