NEWPORT BEACH, Calif. -- Mindspeed(TM) Technologies Inc. (AMEX:MND) today announced a single-chip, multi-mode SHDSL voice-pair gain (VPG) transceiver that connects up to 36 subscribers on a single loop, up to twice as many subscribers as competing devices available in the market today.

Building on Mindspeed's advanced SHDSL technology, the ZipWire M28950 improves spectral compatibility and extends the loop reach over legacy SDSL technologies, enabling providers to serve both fast growing urban and rural areas. The new device offers service providers a cost-effective digital subscriber line (DSL) technology to deliver value-added services such as Internet access and voice service over a single copper pair.

The ZipWire M28950 is backwards compatible with Mindspeed's industry-leading symmetric DSL (SDSL) transceivers, offering customers a smooth and cost-effective transition from their legacy SDSL technologies.

"Our VPG multi-mode device will provide customers with a low-cost, high-performance pair gain system solution, while maintaining backwards compatibility with our legacy SDSL products," said Rammy Bahalul, product line manager for Mindspeed. "The M28950 will allow carriers to significantly increase the capacity of their existing copper infrastructure, easing the bandwidth burden in the access network."

"We are pleased to working with Mindspeed on our next-generation pair gain system," said Marco Dietrich, development director of ELCON Systemtechnik. "Mindspeed's state-of-the-art SHDSL technology, combined with high flexibility and backward-compatibility, gives us the ability to deploy our systems in key, emerging markets such as Europe -- especially Eastern Europe -- and Asia."

ELCON Systemtechnik is a German-based manufacturer of network termination and transmission products for ISDN, xDSL and PCM telecommunications networks. ELCON's new family of pair gain systems will include voice and digital (ISDN) units. Using Mindspeed's M28950 for the DSL portion will allow interworking with ELCON's deployed systems.

Equipped with an internal processor, the M28950 eliminates the need for complex real-time programming and reduces the effort required by the host software, resulting in faster time-to-market and lower cost for system manufacturers. The integrated processor protects customer investments by enabling additional features and performance improvements with only a software upgrade.

The M28950 provides a dedicated Z-bit signaling interface that, together with the integrated digital phase lock loop (DPLL) and slip buffer, provides a glue-less interface to widely-used CODECs and ISDN devices. The integrated DPLL provides N*64KHz clock generation and eliminates the need for an external clock source.

The multi-mode ZipWire VPG solution supports G.shdsl (G.991.2) SDSL and HDSL (2B1Q) technologies. The new device is backward-compatible with the company's large installed base of original ZipWire SDSL modem solutions that operate in 2B1Q mode. They also include full support for AutoBaud(TM) SDSL interoperability technology, which significantly enhances the connection set-up process between SDSL customer premises and central-office equipment operating at any one of the dozens of line rates that SDSL technology supports.

Mindspeed's M28950 offers the industry's highest level of functional integration, and feature low power consumption of 150mW.

The M28950 has two package options: a 176-terminal, 13-mm, fine pitch ball grid array (FPBGA) and a 176-terminal, 24-mm, low profile quad flat pack (LQFP). Sample quantities and evaluation boards are available now and production will begin in the fourth calendar quarter of 2003. Per-unit OEM pricing in volumes of 10,000 for the M28950 is $14.

Mindspeed Technologies Inc.